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Gloucestershire suffer defeat to Sussex

13 September 2019

Gloucestershire suffer defeat to Sussex by eight wickets as Northamptonshire take over the number two spot in the Specsavers County Championsip Division Two table. 

Any lingering hopes that Gloucestershire might retrieve a parlous situation were dashed when their last four wickets yielded only 46 runs more as they were dismissed for 243 in their second innings.

Chris Jordan and Delray Rawlins claimed two wickets apiece to prevent the tail wagging, leaving the visitors with the relatively straightforward task of chasing  74 to win in a minimum 77 overs.

Sussex progress was not altogether smooth thereafter, Luke Wells hooking a short-pitched delivery from David Payne straight to Ben Charlesworth at deep backward square leg with 13 on the board. But Philip Salt (15 not out) and Tom Haines (5 not out) calmed any nerves, advancing the score to 24-1 at lunch.

Gloucestershire's avowed intention to dig in and make Sussex work hard for victory lasted just four balls as Jack Taylor aimed a loose drive at a wide delivery from Jordan and was caught at the wicket in the very first over.

That error of judgment was compounded when Ryan Higgins departed in identical fashion, flashing hard at another wide delivery from Jordan and edging a catch behind as Gloucestershire effectively ran up the white flag of surrender.

Within the space of 12 balls and 15 minutes, Gloucestershire had contrived to hand Sussex the game on a plate, their last realistic prospect of setting a testing target having returned to the pavilion in high dudgeon.

It was left to the unheralded pair of Payne and Matt Taylor to serve up tail-end resistance in the form of an obdurate ninth-wicket stand of 38 in 13 overs. Frustrated in his attempts to bring about a swift conclusion, Sussex captain Ben Brown called upon five different bowlers in his quest for a breakthrough. Delray Rawlins eventually came up trumps, locating Payne's outside edge to provide the lithe Jordan with an opportunity to take a fine one-handed slip catch low to his right.

He concluded the innings in his next over, clean bowling the swinging Shannon Gabrial and leaving Matt Taylor high and dry on 28 not out.

David Payne and Matt Taylor both took wickets during Sussex's second innings but Phil Salt and Stiaan van Zyl's 30 apiece was good enough to see Sussex through before tea. 

Gloucestershire now sit third in the Second Division with a trip to Worcestershire next on the fixture list. 

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