21 Apr Essex Cricket REPORT: Bad light ends play early at Sussex on day two with Essex 108 runs behind
By Matt Harris.
Tom Westley continued his productive start to the season with an important 86 as he held Essex’s reply together on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex at Hove.
After England captain Alastair Cook, wearing his new ECB-approved helmet, had gone for one, Westley fell just 14 runs short of making his third first-class hundred of the season following 110 against Cambridge MCCU and 121 against Gloucestershire.
The 27-year-old hadn’t played a false shot until he attempted to pull a ball off left-arm spinner Danny Briggs and was caught at mid-wicket, having faced 153 balls and hit 14 fours including three in an over off Ollie Robinson.
Essex, replying to Sussex’s 360, needed Westley’s resilience against a persevering Sussex attack who shared the wickets around as the visitors reached 252-7 before bad light ended the second day with 13 overs not bowled.
Jesse Ryder (51) helped Westley add 83 in 23 overs for the fifth wicket in the day’s most productive stand, but Essex spent much of the rest of the day rebuilding on a wicket which occasionally offered good bounce for the seamers and some slow turn for Briggs.
After Jamie Porter had wrapped up Sussex’s first innings by picking up two wickets in successive balls in the first over of the day, all eyes were on Cook and in particular his choice of helmet, after he had been advised by the ECB to wear their approved head gear with its fixed grille.
Cook, watched by England assistant coach Paul Farbrace, reluctantly took their advice but had barely got used to it when Steve Magoffin got one to seam away and he was taken at second slip by Chris Nash in the third over.
The Sussex seamers bowled well as a unit. Robinson took a tumbling return catch off Nick Browne’s looping inside edge while 19-year-old George Garton again impressed as he picked up two wickets. The left-armer had Ravi Bopara caught behind off the glove for 17 and then claimed James Foster after tea for 14 via an inside edge.
