County Championship: Sussex fight back as Glamorgan hopes end

Sussex's Tom Haines has been on the field non-stop for the first three days.

Sussex fought back hard to reach 312-0 after following on 275 runs behind against Glamorgan, whose promotion hopes are almost certainly over.

Their chances were all but ended when Middlesex achieved maximum bonus points at Worcester, needing now only to draw a match they control.

Ali Orr is on a superb 185 not out with Tom Haines undefeated on 121.

Earlier Haines batted through the Sussex first innings for 108 not out with Charlie Tear hitting 56.

James Harris and Timm van der Gugten claimed three wickets apiece in the first half of the day but Orr and Haines made sure there was no repeat second time around as they tore the bowling apart in the fourth best Sussex opening stand ever.

Glamorgan were left to reflect on a shocking session on the third day against Middlesex, losing seven wickets in a session at Lord's after knocking off most of a first innings deficit.

That allowed the Londoners to complete the double over Glamorgan, who in contrast performed strongly against promoted Nottinghamshire.

Sussex's second innings fight-back was in sharp contrast to a first effort which featured two collapses as they lost four for 21 early in the first session and four for six at the end.

Harris claimed three wickets in two overs to spark the first slide, Haines watching from the other end as the wickets tumbled.

The captain added 95 with Tear, who on his home debut fearlessly attacked international spinner Ajaz Patel, hitting 12 boundaries.

Haines reached a chanceless century but after Tear's dismissal, the last three men were skittled out for ducks as van der Gugten and Patel cleaned up the tail.

Orr and Haines had already got off to a flying start by the time Middlesex passed 400 at Worcester, lessening the tension at Hove.

Orr's hundred came up off 82 balls and he celebrated by launching three huge consecutive sixes off Patel as Sussex raced along at six an over.

Remarkably, Orr's first three half-centuries came off exactly 41 balls each as he cruised past his previous career-best of 141 and reached a thousand runs for the season, just before being dropped off Andrew Salter on 151.

Haines, who has been on the field throughout, reached his century at a healthy rate off 136 balls as Sussex took a surprise lead by the close.

Sussex captain Tom Haines told BBC Radio Sussex:

"It was great to be out there, the way Ali batted and took down the spin made it easier for us both, it was pretty special and hopefully we can come back and do the same again.

"The injury in my season upset my rhythm, coming back in was tough work so to get the runs I wanted this game has been pretty pleasing.

"We've got to get through the first spell in the morning, we want to finish on a positive note and that might not be winning this game. But if we can get a draw after them getting 500, that's a good result."

Sussex opener Ali Orr added:

"You play each ball as it comes and Hainesy really helped me along because I wasn't feeling very good, telling me to get into stronger shapes.

"It wasn't a plan (to attack Patel), I thought with the wind and the shorter boundary, if he tosses it up I'm going to have a go.

"We've been in a few situations this year which have been tough for both of us, we're growing as a pair and learning how to bat in those situations, so we enjoyed batting with blue sky for once."

Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard told BBC Sport Wales:

"We got to tea to see the news up at Worcester, it takes the wind out of the sails a little bit but they stuck at it and they were throwing themselves around in the field.

"I can't fault the effort but it's a very flat pitch now with no spin and nothing in it for the seamers, fair credit to both Orr and Haines who played very well.

"We've got to try to take ten wickets by mid-afternoon and knock the runs off to finish the season on a high.

"It's been a tough day for us as a club, we've played some good cricket this year but fair credit to Middlesex for pipping us for that second place."