County Championship: Cheteshwar Pujara continues superb form for Sussex

Cheteshwar Pujara has already hit two double centuries this season for Sussex

Cheteshwar Pujara's fourth century in as many matches put Sussex in a strong position in their County Championship match against Middlesex at Hove.

Middlesex had dominated the first half of the third day but then a third-wicket partnership of 138 at five an over between Pujara and Tom Alsop, whose run-scoring matched that of the Indian master before he was well caught at slip for 66, put Sussex on top and set up the possibility of a declaration and run chase on the final day.

Pujara pulled spinner Mark Stoneman for four to reach 99 and then cut the same bowler through backward-point for three to reach his hundred from 133 balls, with 13 fours and a six.

At the close Sussex were 236-3, a lead of 270, with Pujara 125 not out.

Earlier the most important Sussex player was Ollie Robinson, who completed a five-wicket return in his first match for four months.

Middlesex had resumed on 284-6, still 108 runs in arrears. But after just four overs, and with the new ball available, the players came off for bad light.

When they returned Martin Andersson edged Aaron Beard through the too-wide gap between first and second slips to reach a 92-ball half-century.

The opening session was almost 90 minutes old before Sussex broke through, with the last delivery of the 89th over, when Robinson had Andersson caught low down by Alsop at first slip. He and the impressive Luke Hollman had put on 99 for the seventh wicket.

The same combination of Robinson and Alsop soon accounted for Blake Cullen and at lunch Middlesex were 335-8.

Shaheen Shah Afridi clipped Mason Crane to square leg to bring up the 350 and win Middlesex a fourth batting point. But in the next over the same batsman drove Sean Hunt to mid-on but failed to beat Tom Haines' direct hit.

Hunt then removed Hollman's middle stump as the batsman heaved across the line.

Hollman's obdurate innings had brought him a first-class best of 82 and Middlesex, with their upside-down looking scorecard, had made 358 and trailed Sussex by just 34 runs. Robinson, who apart from in the first over bowled downhill from the Cromwell Road end for duration of the opening session, finished with figures of 5-66 in 24 overs.

When Sussex batted again, under dark clouds and bright floodlights, they lost both openers without scoring in the first seven balls.

Ali Orr was out second ball, caught behind off Afridi, who surprised the batsman with his pace and bounce. Then, with the first delivery of the next over, Ethan Bamber dismissed Haines, who was also caught by wicketkeeper John Simpson. And Sussex would have been 9-3 if Alsop had not been dropped at slip before scoring.

The contest between the prolific Pujara and Afridi was compelling. Pujara uppercut Afridi over third man for six. But then, after just three overs and with the score 15-2, the players came off for bad light. They were away for just over an hour, in which time they took tea, but with overs lost.

When they returned, Pujara and Tom Alsop, and then Tom Clark, reasserted Sussex's advantage, though with chunks of time lost to bad light a draw remains a strong possibility.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.