Stalemate at Hove
Somerset had to settle for a draw against Sussex in this County Championship game at Hove after the third day had been washed out.
For Somerset, the result consolidated their position among the Division One leaders. For Sussex, it kept them in the race while giving them some important anti-relegation points at the other end of the table.
Somerset did not look in a carrot-dangling mood when they set Sussex 303 to win from just 44 overs and Sussex were content to bat out the overs. Any outside chance of a result disappeared when the players came off for rain with Sussex 62 for one after 14 overs. Dan Hughes was the one wicket to fall, when he was surprised by the bounce achieved by Migael Pretorius and Tom Abell took a fine tumbling catch at second slip.
Somerset had started the final day on 167 for two, a lead of 119, and at lunch it was difficult to contemplate any result other than a draw.
At the end of the opening session Somerset had added 83 runs for the loss of just one wicket. That wicket came at 198 when Henry Crocombe came on at the sea end and dismissed Tom Lammony lbw with an in-ducker. Lammonby’s 93 from 171 deliveries, with a dozen fours, was his highest score of the season.
Somerset lost their fourth wicket at 266 when Sean Hunt brought one in to Abell (37) and clipped the top of his off stump.
Sussex broke through again at 283 when Henry Nicholls, having just reached a solid half-century, was caught at deep midwicket by James Coles. The New Zealander appeared to be aiming to clear mid-on but got a thick inside edge.
It was the first Sussex wicket for all-rounder Joey Evison, who joined the county on loan from Kent last week before a permanent move next year and he didn’t have to wait long for another.
Craig Overton had just pulled Evison for six but when he attempted to repeat the stroke off the next ball he was caught at deep square-leg by Jack Carson, who made it look simple even though the batter had hit it powerfully and flat.
James Rew perished in the search for pre-declaration runs, caught at deep point as he attempted to get after Tom Clark having scored 27 from 44 balls.
Pretorius was eighth out at 343 when he was well caught by wicketkeeper John Simpson, a diving effort as he sprinted towards square-leg, and Somerset declared on 350 for nine when Jack Leach was well held by Hunt off Carson.
Before play, Somerset’s Jake Ball replaced Josh Shaw whose partner gave birth to a baby boy over the weekend.
At the end of the match, Somerset Head Coach, Jason Kerr said: “A draw was always on the cards after losing the third day, particularly given the nature of the surface. Losing time yesterday was incredibly frustrating.
“There was an opportunity to get ahead in the game and unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to take it. We had lots of conversations in the morning about what to do. There’s always a balance to be struck.
“In the end, when we set 300 in 44 overs, the reality was that only we could win the game. We should have got a few more in our first innings. Tom Abell was outstanding again.
” I thought we were incredible with the ball on day two and got ourselves back into the game, so we can take a lot from the game despite the weather.”
