Worcestershire fall 5 runs quick in thrilling draw at Sussex
Worcestershire 410 (Libby 198, Karvelas 4-54) and 381 for 8 (Azhar 100, Libby 97, Karvelas 3-60, McAndrew 3-76) drew with Sussex 348 (Carter 76, McAndrew 65, Carson 64, Leach 6-78) and 359 for six (Alsop 100*, Haines 91, Carson 75, Hudson-Prentice 54, Clark 50)
Worcestershire almost pulled off a perfectly-paced run chase solely to fall 5 runs in need of their goal in a thriller towards Sussex at Hove.
Set 386 in 78 overs at 4.94 runs an over, Azhar Ali made 100 and Jake Libby adopted his first-innings 198 with 97 they usually seemed on target for victory with Ali nonetheless there and 16 wanted off the final two overs with 4 wickets in hand.
But three balls after reaching his century with a leg look which introduced him a fifteenth boundary Ali was yorked by Ari Karvelas. Usman Mir was fantastically caught at mid-wicket by Sussex captain Tom Alsop off the primary ball of the ultimate over when Worcestershire wanted eight to win.
Australian Nathan McAndrew solely conceded three off the following 5 balls leaving Joe Leach the chance to win the sport with a six off the final supply, however he failed to attach and the competition between second and third in Division Two of the LV= County Championship led to a draw with Worcestershire closing on 381 for 8.
Alsop, who had earlier accomplished an unbeaten hundred, deserved credit score for sustaining attacking fields till close to the top and his bowlers saved plugging away on an unresponsive floor on the 1st Central County Ground. But having acquired so shut Ali shall be dissatisfied that his century wasn’t sufficient to get his crew over the road.
Alsop had earlier gone to his second hundred of the season earlier than Sussex declared after an hour’s batting as soon as they added 88 in 15 overs.
Alsop, who’s main Sussex for the following 4 Championship video games within the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara, wasn’t at his most fluent however it was a worthwhile contribution on condition that he got here in on the second day and watched 4 wickets go down on the different finish in ten overs. He prolonged the seventh wicket stand with Jack Carson to 150 of which Carson contributed a well-constructed 75 with eight fours and three sixes, his second half-century of the match.
Carson was run out coming again for a second, crushed by Ali’s throw from deep mid-wicket, however Henry Shipley added a speedy 28 from 16 balls together with successive sixes off Mir earlier than Alsop took a single off the Pakistan leg-spinner to succeed in the ninth hundred of his profession, made in 5 hours with ten fours.
Worcestershire launched their run chase confidently sufficient, Libby and Gareth Roderick scoring on the required fee earlier than Karvelas broke the partnership on 74 within the fourth over after lunch with a ball which straightened sufficient to beat his defensive stroke.
Libby would have been run out had Shipley hit the stumps with a throw from mid-wicket when he was on 69 whereas he appeared to relish some peppery verbal exchanges with McAndrew, who was warned for working down the wicket throughout a six-over spell.
But Libby slowed up as he approached three figures and he fell agonisingly quick. With his fourth ball after switching ends Carson discovered a modicum of flip and the sting deflected off keeper Oli Carter’s gloves into Alsop’s arms at slip. He hit 14 fours and a six off 132 deliveries, including 93 in 22 overs with Ali.
Jack Haynes contributed 44 to a third-wicket alliance of 94 in 18 overs till he was leg earlier than making an attempt to work McAndrew by sq.. Adam Hose then upped the tempo by taking 15 off a Carson over as he struck 47 off 40 balls earlier than thick-edging behind off Fynn Hudson-Prentice.
McAndrew picked up Brett D’Oliveira, who chipped to mid-wicket, however Matthew Waite wielded the lengthy deal with successfully with 18 off 11 balls and he gave the impression to be placing his aspect within the driving seat solely to gap out to deep mid-wicket. Ali did his greatest, however McAndrew and Karvelas bowled outstandingly beneath stress on the finish.