Sussex In Control After Day One

An inauspicious batting display left Leicestershire on the back foot after a tough opening day against Sussex at Uptonsteel County Ground.

The Foxes were bowled out for 210 after winning the toss, before a Callum Parkinson wicket with the final ball of the day left the visitors 39-1 at the close.

Paul Nixon made two changes, as Colin Ackermann and Lewis Hill returned in place of Louis Kimber and Scott Steel.

After a watchful start to proceedings, Hassan Azad drove gloriously to the off-side ropes for the day’s opening boundary.

A circumspect start lay an admirable platform for the innings, before Sam Evans edged Henry Crocombe behind to Tom Clark on 10 in the 17th over of the morning. Leicestershire 35-1.

Rishi Patel arrived at the crease and immediately looked in good touch, off-driving to the fence in three successive overs mid-morning.

But, on the stroke of lunch, an innings defining moment occurred. Azad, well set on 30 from a near two-hour stay at the wicket, hesitated over a quick single with Patel, and was subsequently run out for the second time in as many matches. Lunch taken on 71-2.

Patel added two runs to his score post-interval before he became Aaron Beard’s first victim. The Foxes’ number three defending, but edging, through to Tom Clark at second slip for 26.

Hill came out with immediate positive intent upon his return. It took six balls for him to tally a milestone, 2,500 first-class runs for Leicestershire, thanks to a nudge for a speedily run three down to third man.

The Foxes’ 2021 top run-scorer continued to accumulate freely, taking three boundaries in six deliveries, including two exquisite cuts off Beard.

But he was soon to lose partner Ackermann, who inside edged an attempted cut off Sussex counterpart Tom Haines. The Leicestershire skipper bowled for 11.

Cutting was also to be Hill’s undoing five overs later. On a run-a-ball 35, he mistimed a cut, which flew straight to the grateful Archie Lenham at third man.

Harry Swindells (1) and Ben Mike (0) followed each other back to the pavilion in quick succession, while Wiaan Mulder was then caught down the leg side for 16 to leave Leicetsershire 144-8.

That loss brought Chris Wright to the crease to form an alliance with Parkinson, which proved to be the highest of the Foxes’ innings.

Wright hit a lusty blow over the top of Delray Rawlins, before a pair of beautiful straight drives also reached the ropes. Parkinson was far more patient, accruing 32 unbeaten runs without a boundary to his name.

The stand ended on 49, with the former trapped by Crocombe for 18. Beuran Hendricks helped take the score past 200, and record a subsequent batting bonus point, before he holed out to Rawlins off Beard. Leicestershire all out for 210.

Wright and Hendricks toiled with the new ball, but found no way through to break Haines or Tom Alsop’s resistance.

On to bowl the final over the day, it took just five balls for Parkinson to induce an edge from Alsop, with Mulder completing the dismissal.

Sussex closing on 39-1.Play resumes tomorrow at 11am.