Leicestershire suffer loss at Arundel

Sussex versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 4:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE

INTERVIEW | Head Coach Pierre de Bruyn spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at the end of the game, the interview is available HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the final day are available HERE

RESULT | Sussex (21 pts) beat Leicestershire (5 pts) by 231 runs

REPORT | Jofra Archer continued to be a thorn in Leicestershire’s side as Sussex landed a 231-run Specsavers County Championship victory on the final day at Arundel.

The 22-year-old quick bowler took his first-class career haul against Leicestershire to 25 at an average of just 11.20 in three matches by claiming 4-30 off 19 overs.

Leicestershire moved steadily to 93 for 1 on the final day with Paul Horton and top-scorer Colin Ackermann in good touch but the last nine wickets fell for 100.

So County were dismissed for 193 in their second innings, Horton and Lewis Hill making 35 apiece to go alongside Ackermann's 43.

The Foxes had started the final day 36 for 0 in pursuit of 425 for victory and Sussex opted for a partnership of totally different paces with Danny Briggs operating alongside Archer.

Ben Brown's move paid dividends as the slow left armer struck in the first over of the day, Arun Harinath (20) top-edging an attempted sweep with Harry Finch diving to claim the catch.

Opener Horton and Ackermann put on 52 for the second wicket with few alarms and Ackermann looked to be positive, twice coming down the pitch to loft Briggs straight for six.

But in the second over of a new spell Archer trapped Horton lbw for 35 with a ball which swung in late, and Leicestershire's day took a turn for the worse as two more key batsmen fell either side of lunch. 

Ackermann (43) nicked off to Brown as Archer claimed his second wicket in the space of 17 deliveries. Archer, who took 11 wickets when the sides met last month, had his fifth of this game.

Skipper Mark Cosgrove was then caught at the wicket off Chris Jordan and Leicestershire had gone from 93-1 to 123-4 with a minimum of 62.1 overs still remaining in the day.

The situation worsened as Ned Eckersley (12) shouldered arms and lost his off stump to Jordan while leg-spinner Will Beer dismissed debutant Will Fazakerley for the second time in the game, the young all-rounder caught at short-leg by Nash.

Archer continued to exert his innfluence on the game. The seamer doubled his wicket tally in the innings, a ball that looked to keep a bit low hit Rob Sayer (8) in front of the stumps while Mathew Pillans (0) gloved to Brown with Leicestershire now at 164-8.

Beer then dismissed Clint McKay (1), caught by Briggs at short cover, before an entertaining last wicket stand of 26 between Hill, who struck five fours in 35, and Richard Jones, whose 16 not out included a four and a maximum.

The game ended on the stroke of tea as Abi Sakande dismissed Hill lbw and Leicestershire now take a break from four-day action. The next ten matches are in NatWest T20 Blast, starting with a trip to face Lancashire Lightning in Liverpool tomorrow (2.30pm start).

* Thanks to John Mallett for the photo of Colin Ackermann batting at Arundel today.