Tom Alsop stars with century as Steve Smith’s Ashes build-up stutters once more
Sussex 319 for 4 (Alsop 118*) vs Leicestershire
Sussex made 319 for 4 and Tom Alsop an unbeaten 118 however the consideration was inevitably on Steven Smith, whose Ashes warm-up once more did not ignite as his short-term employer’s LV= Insurance County Championship match towards Leicestershire started a day late on the Uptonsteel County Ground.
Australia’s chief batting hope to face England this summer time, who made a low-key 30 on his Sussex debut at Worcester final week, was again within the pavilion after going through simply 14 balls, dismissed leg earlier than wicket by South African seamer Wiaan Mulder for 3.
Smith, who’s midway by a three-match sojourn with the Division Two aspect, had spent Thursday ensconced within the dressing room as Leicestershire’s groundstaff tried in useless to make a saturated outfield match for play.
On a chilly day through which batting circumstances have been usually powerful, he was held up once more as Alsop and Cheteshwar Pujara placed on 136 for the third wicket. His probability got here when the latter was out for 77 however he by no means checked out ease, surviving an lbw attraction second ball.
Alsop, the 27-year-old left-hander, went on to finish his ninth first-class century in an unbroken stand of 121 with 19-year-old all-rounder James Coles, who’s unbeaten on 59. Mulder has figures of three for 52 from 20 overs.
Despite Smith’s flop, Sussex must be delighted with their day after being requested to bat first in difficult circumstances.
How they fare with the ball stays to be seen provided that England’s Ollie Robinson is rested and the Australian fast, Nathan McAndrew – their joint main wicket-taker with Robinson – has needed to step apart to accommodate Smith.
On a pitch with a great overlaying of grass, Sussex had been two-down for 91 at lunch after a session performed with a cold wind whipping throughout the massive enjoying space at Grace Road and the sky uniformly gray.
Leicestershire, who dropped the out-of-form Mikey Finan from their seam assault and introduced in Will Davis for his first Championship motion since June final 12 months, initially struggled to include the Sussex openers however first change Mulder struck twice in his opening spell.
The all-rounder, introduced along with his county cap through the course of the playless opening day, discovered the within fringe of Tom Clark’s bat in his second over and adopted up by trapping Ali Orr leg earlier than with one which struck him at shin top.
But Pujara drew on his deep reserve of expertise to frustrate the Leicestershire bowlers, by no means shedding his persistence whereas the going was powerful, secure within the information that scoring alternatives would come.
The qualities rubbed off on Alsop, who reached his half-century from 126 balls when he drove Chris Wright sq. of the wicket for his ninth boundary. Alsop made 150 and 60 not out when the perimeters met at Hove final season, though finally eclipsed by double-hundreds from each Mulder and Colin Ackermann in a run-heavy draw.
Pujara dealt largely in boundaries, 11 of them in his first 50 (from 113 balls), which he reached by hammering Ackermann’s off-spin by midwicket, the primary of three in a row in an over that value 15 runs. Three extra boundaries in Ackermann’s subsequent (and final) over – two of them to Pujara – prompted a reminder that the Indian maestro had handed fifty eight instances beforehand for Sussex and by no means did not make 100.
It appeared this innings would observe the same sample. Seemingly within the blink of a watch, Pujara moved on to 77 and the one second of apparent luck had been an edge off the unfortunate Davis that flew between ‘keeper Peter Handscomb and a solitary, large slip.
But then it was over. Tom Scriven, usually tidy albeit reduce simply for a sixteenth 4 by Pujara the ball previous to his dismissal, bowled the subsequent one straighter and Pujara misjudged it sufficient to tickle an inside edge on to pad, the ball looping to Handscomb. It was the 24-year-old seamer’s twelfth first-class wicket, simply his most satisfying.
Pujara’s departure ushered in Smith, however any expectation that Australia’s No. 1 batsman may trump his seemingly opponent in subsequent month’s World Test Championship closing quickly evaporated. Smith appeared twitchy from the beginning, surviving a assured attraction for leg earlier than by the keen Scriven from his second ball confronted, providing no shot.
It appeared solely top may have saved him. There was no such doubt three overs later when he shuffled right into a ball from Mulder that got here again in slightly and would definitely have hit. Sussex have been nicely positioned on 208 for 4 at tea, however walked off to a way of anticlimax.
The closing session, which might have lasted a marathon 39 overs had unhealthy mild not curtailed play 13 overs earlier than the scheduled shut, noticed Alsop full a 212-ball century when he reduce the occasional spin of Sol Budinger for his 14th 4 earlier than Leicestershire took the second new ball and Coles go to his fourth first-class fifty from 69 balls, with seven fours and a pulled six off Scriven.