County Championship: Sussex bat well on day one against Lancashire
- Published
Tom Haines has now hit four half-centuries for Sussex so far this season
County Championship Group Three, The 1st Central County Ground, Hove (day one): |
Sussex 318-7: van Zyl 79, Haines 58; Bailey 3-69 |
Lancashire: Yet to bat |
Sussex 3 pts, Lancashire 2 pts |
Sussex started well with the bat against Lancashire as they finished day one on 318-7 in their County Championship fixture at Hove.
After losing Aaron Thomason for an 11-ball duck, Stiaan van Zyl (79) and Tom Haines (58) steadied the hosts.
Once their 133-run partnership was broken, however, Lancashire fought back to frustrate Sussex's middle order.
Ben Brown (46) and Delray Rawlins (42) fell short of fifties, with Tom Bailey (3-69) leading the visitors' response.
Lancashire came into the game boosted by the return of Liam Livingstone, who was playing his first County Championship game of the season having withdrawn from the Indian Premier League.
But they were still without England seamer James Anderson, who continues to struggle with a calf injury.
Van Zyl reached his half-century in 81 balls - including seven fours and a six - while Haines swiftly followed with a quickfire 68-ball fifty of his own, his fourth half-century of the season bolstering the hosts' attack.
However, Haines was caught by Dane Vilas off the bowling of Saqib Mahmood, while Van Zyl fell cheaply having played straight to Luke Wells at backward point, with George Garton (30 not out) closing out the day alongside Jack Carson (13 not out).
Sussex opener Tom Haines:
"We would have taken that score at the start of play but quite a few of us got starts including myself.
"But I still feel we are in the game because there is definitely a bit in the wicket for the bowlers.
"Personally, I'm pleased with how the season has started. It was a tough challenge and I didn't feel as comfortable as I have done but I came through it well."
Lancashire seamer Tom Bailey:
"It was a hard-fought day. We would have liked to have wrapped up those last three wickets before the close.
"Hopefully we can do that early and then the idea then is to bat big.
"We didn't quite control the run rate at times, especially in the morning, but we regrouped."