Seconds Fall Short in Rain-Affected Nail-Biter

Match Report: Hampshire 2nd XI v Sussex 2nd XI (SEC)

Sussex 2nd XI v Hampshire 2nd XI 
Second XI Championship
14-16 August 2012
Horsham

Summary: Sussex beat Hampshire by five wickets
Hampshire 161-9 & 264
Sussex: 196 & 230-5
Scorecard

For all that rain has hampered much of this season’s cricket, it actually contributed to a superb climax to this Second XI Championship match between Hampshire and Sussex at Horsham.

Having lost sizeable portions of the match to the weather, both South Coast rivals had done well to manufacture a situation in which a result (of any kind!) was possible... and, even then, the rain nearly had its way!

Sussex needed just 23 runs with 4.1 overs remaining on the third day but lost two of those overs to a brief shower, meaning the equation was now a considerably more tricky 23 off 2.1 overs. However, opener, Will Beer hit 15 off the penultimate over leaving Hamza Riazuddin to try to prevent the seven required for a home victory off the last.

His first delivery bowled Beer for an excellent 71, but he could not prevent Michael Rippon getting his side over the line, claiming a five-wicket win with just two balls to spare!

Hampshire, having come so close to an even share of the points, left with just five (one for batting, four for bowling) compared to their opponents’ 21.

Earlier in the match, a couple of decent starts from Michael Roberts (31) and Jake George (34) had been the rare highlights of an under-par innings in which the visitors scored 161 (though Riazuddin didn’t bat as he was called up for day four of the First XI’s match against Yorkshire).

In response, Sussex opened with Beer and Joe Gatting, the latter of whom was also to later leave for first team duties. Gatting top-scored with 49 but Hampshire, and, in particular, Jack Sheppard (5-63 off 20 overs) battled back superbly to restrict Sussex to 196, a lead of 35 on first innings. It should also be noted that Adam Rouse held six catches behind the stumps and Sean Terry two at first slip.

The confidence gained from that transferred into their batting as Hants recorded 264 from their second innings, including partnerships of 64 between Riazuddin (51) and George (63) for the fourth wicket, then 79 for the fifth between the latter and Rouse (35). That set Sussex a target of 230 from a minimum of 58 overs.

And despite losing two early wickets, Beer and Matt Machan (55) fought hard to add 76 before Riazuddin held a good low catch at mid on with the score at 114 in the 36th over. But, with the pitch easing and offering less help to the bowlers, Hampshire couldn’t find the cutting edge they would require to win the match. Even a draw seemed out of their reach as the hosts paced their chase beautifully. That was until the drama of the final five overs.

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: NJM Photography

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