Steve Magoffin took 10 wickets in a match for the fourth time in his career at Hove on Tuesday but it was probably not enough to save Sussex from defeat by Worcestershire.
Magoffin followed his five for 38 in Worcestershire’s first innings with five for 32 to give him match figures of 10 for 70. In each innings he took three out of the top five and he now has the record of dismissing more opening batsmen this season (22) than any other bowler.
He will be 37 in December but luckily for Sussex he is getting old very slowly. Last year he took six wickets in each innings against Nottinghamshire and in 2013 he took eight and four against Somerset. So he has become one of the county’s most effective overseas signings of recent years.
But Worcestershire, who have not beaten Sussex in six championship matches, are still strong favourites to win here. Bowled out in 55 overs for 194, and with a first-innings lead of 77, that set Sussex a target of 272 for victory. And Sussex lost their most experienced batsman, Chris Nash, for five just before the close, when they were 13 for one.
Without the injured Ed Joyce (knee), Luke Wright (arm) and Luke Wells (eye), this is a desperately inexperienced Sussex side and they will do well to get close to their target.
At least they have taken the match into the third day. It looked possible that it could be a two-day affair when Sussex resumed on 50 for four in their first innings.
That soon became 50 for five, 66 for six and 71 for seven. But then an eighth-wicket stand of 97 in 18 overs between the Barbados pair, Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer, ensured that the follow-on was saved. Jordan is the man responsible for introducing Archer to Sussex and these two friends have become key all-rounders in the lower order. Miguel Cummins was the star Worcestershire bowler with seven for 84.
When Worcestershire batted a second time they lost both their openers with only one run on the board – Daryl Mitchell to a fine diving outfield catch by Craig Cachopa, But then Tom Fell (85), Joe Clarke (31) and Ben Cox (56) put their side ahead.
The fluent Fell reached his fifty from 74 balls, with eight fours, and it took another beauty from Magoffin to have him caught behind and deny him his century.
There is nothing really riding on this match. But it was still a hugely entertaining day’s cricket, with 386 runs scored for 17 wickets. And great weather to match.
