COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Hove:
Sussex 280 and 212-2 beat Worcestershire 256 and 235 by eight wickets (Sussex 19pts, Worcs 5pts)
11-14 August 2009

Nash took 101 balls to make his second Championship ton of the year

Chris Nash smashed an unbeaten 100 as Sussex boosted their survival chances with an eight-wicket win over Worcestershire inside three days.

The visitors had resumed on 71-4 in their second innings, a lead of 47.

They slumped to 110-7 before Steve Davies hit 67 to guide them to 235 all out, setting the hosts 212 to win.

Sussex lost Michael Yardy early on, but Nash added 109 with Ed Joyce (53) and an unbroken 93 with Murray Goodwin (40no) to see them home.

It appeared as though the home side would win even more emphatically after Worcestershire suffered a dreadful start to the day.

Moeen Ali was out in the third over, bowled off his pads by Yasir Arafat, before Corey Collymore struck in successive overs to trap Gareth Batty leg before and bowling Gareth Andrew between bat and pad.

But Davies ensured the visitors' tail wagged thanks to the ample support be was given by Matt Mason (28) and Imran Arif, who hit a career-best 35.

Davies was eventually last out for 66 when Ed Joyce ran round from slip to point to hold a catch which gave Ollie Rayner a second wicket.

Mason gave Worcestershire a glimmer of hope of pushing for victory when he had Yardy caught at leg slip for his eighth wicket of the match.

But he was only able to bowl four overs after bowling 22 on Wednesday, and that allowed Sussex to take the initiative.

Joyce and Nash added their 109 for the second wicket in 21 overs before Joyce holed out trying to hit Batty over the midwicket boundary.

But Nash went on to make the fourth hundred of his career, off 101 balls with 19 fours, before Goodwin won the game with successive boundaries off Andrew.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version