Sussex Thwart Yorkshire

Yorkshire's hot streak of wins in the County Championship ended on the south coast, courtesy of a combination of defiant Sussex batting and equally defiant precipitation. Ironically, oop north, Durham played host to Middlesex in a rain-unaffected contest and promptly handed the London team an opportunity to close the gap on the Championship leaders. Now that Middlesex have managed to pull off two close wins in succession against Sussex and Durham, they are now posing a threat to the Tykes' defence of their Championship title. A meeting between the top two next month will certainly decide the outcome of the Championship, especially if Middlesex fail to win.

Meanwhile back in Sussex, Yorkshire again replicated the national team by failing to produce many runs from their first couple of wicket stands. Alex Lees looks on the cusp of a big knock soon, but Lyth will have to return and shore up the top of the order, something he plainly failed to do against the Aussies. Fortunately, Ballance has rediscovered his form and Bresnan continues to flourish as the finest middle-order batsman in the country this summer. Maybe Jack Brooks should not have been overlooked for this outing. At least Aaron Finch has returned from his injury woes to replace the improving Glenn Maxwell for the season's business end. 

Anyhow, Yorkshire look well on course for two possible trophies, but they are only one defeat to Middlesex and a one-day loss away from their promising summer unravelling. The final few weeks of the season will be interesting, to say the least.

Sussex versus YORKSHIRE; at Hove; Friday the 21st to Monday the 24th of August 2015. YORKSHIRE won the toss.

YORKSHIRE first innings: 494 (Ballance 165, Bresnan 78, Lees 69; Robinson 3-72, Jordan 3-87)

Sussex first innings: 493 for seven (Yardy 124, Brown 106*, Joyce 100; Rashid 3-159)

Match drawn. Sussex twelve points, YORKSHIRE eleven points.

Hodd - Eleven runs as an opener against his old county was not good enough. He will be shunted back down the order, with Lyth returning from England duty.

Lees - England badly need a good opener, but his 69 was eclipsed by a big century from Hales. Alex needs to go on from here and build a few centuries again.

Leaning - Jack has experienced a dip in four-day form, incurring an eight-ball duck. He did at least take two catches, while one of his three overs was a maiden.

Gale - Galey contributed 39 runs to an 88-run third wicket rescue mission, featuring seven fours. This was a reasonable effort, but he should have gone further.

Ballance - GB looks set for an England tour place, as this six-hour vigil was a timely reminder of his qualities. His innings included nineteen fours and two sixes. 

Maxwell - The Aussie thumped forty-three off fifty-two balls, looking set for another big century, on his last County Championship outing, but it wasn't to be.

Rashid - This was a truly underwhelming performance after a score of seven, assembled during 45 minutes, followed by conceding 159 runs from thirty-three overs.

Bresnan - Tim provided another crucial knock, underpinning his majestic form with the bat. His bowling alas yielded no wickets and 66 runs from twenty overs.

Plunkett - His innings of 28 was arguably a better effort than his bowling when he toiled for 24 overs, conceding ninety runs and taking a couple of wickets.

Patterson - Steven was dismissed for a duck and then could only make do with one wicket for sixty-three runs from his nineteen overs.

Sidebottom - Even Ryan couldn't work his magic, although his figures of fifteen overs, costing only thirty-nine runs, were an improvement upon everyone else's.

AVERAGES

BATSMEN (minimum requirement - one hundred runs):

Bairstow - 108.89; 980 runs; highest score - 219 not out; five centuries and four fifties

Bresnan - 57.75; 693 runs; highest score - 169 not out; two centuries and three fifties

Finch - 55.5; 111 runs; highest score - 77 not out; one fifty

Pujara - 52.8; 264 runs; highest score - 133 not out; one century and one fifty

Leaning - 46.18; 785 runs; highest score - 123; three centuries and two fifties

Maxwell - 40.67; 244 runs; highest score - 140; one century

BEST BOWLERS (minimum requirement - ten wickets):

Sidebottom - 18.83; 29 wickets; best bowling: 6-34

Middlebrook - 20.91; eleven wickets; best bowling: 5-82

Brooks - 21.75; 48 wickets; best bowling: 5-44

Patterson - 22.84; 38 wickets; best bowling: 5-11

Plunkett - 28.92; twelve wickets; best bowling: 4-61

Rashid - 29.4; 25 wickets; best bowling: 4-48

Bresnan - 34; 31 wickets; best bowling: 5-85

CURRENT DIVISION ONE STANDINGS:

YORKSHIRE - played twelve matches; 219 points

Middlesex - played thirteen matches; 189 points

Nottinghamshire - played thirteen matches; 173 points

Warwickshire - played thirteen matches; 162 points

Durham - played thirteen matches; 157 points

Somerset - played twelve matches; 131 points

Sussex - played thirteen matches; 122 points

Worcestershire - played thirteen matches; 118 points

Hampshire - played twelve matches; 107 points