Wright’s 150 holds up Middlesex charge
Close, day three: Sussex 229 & 288-6 lead Middlesex 496 by 21 runs
Middlesex were again left frustrated by a defiant Luke Wright whose unbeaten 150 kept his side alive going into the final day at Hove.
Wright, who smashed a career-best 187 to earn Sussex a draw at Lord’s last month, produced another brilliant innings as Middlesex closed in on what would be a vital victory against the County Championship front-runners.
The win had looked a formality when the hosts were reduced to 45-4, still 222 runs behind, with Steven Finn marking his return to the Middlesex side with two wickets.
However, Wright’s stunning unbeaten knock of 151, off just 170 balls, not only kept Middlesex at bay but actually edged them in front by 21 runs at the close, with four wickets in hand.
Neil Dexter’s side will begin Saturday’s final day as heavy favourites to complete the job but they will be wary of assuming the job is almost done, especially with Wright still at the crease.
Resuming on Friday on 445-5, John Simpson and Gareth Berg added a further 31 to the overnight score before the latter was caught off the bowling of Monty Panesar.
Sussex took the final four wickets for just 20 runs, with England spinner Panesar returning figures of 5-95, but that mini-recovery still left them 267 behind on first innings.
Their hopes of overhauling that deficit looked bleak when Finn and Corey Collymore decimated the Sussex top order with three wickets in as many overs, as the hosts collapsed from 42-1 to 45-4.
Middlesex were eyeing a comfortable innings victory but Wright once again proved their nemesis as he shared in two massive partnerships.
The England all-rounder put on 110 with first innings centurion Ed Joyce, who just missed out on his own half century when he was caught behind off Dexter’s spin.
At tea, Sussex were on 172-5 and still trailed by 95 runs – but Wright, on 67 not out, continued his attack on the Middlesex bowling in the evening session.
He struck 10 fours and one six after the interval and with Ben Brown added another 107 to the Sussex score as they homed in on parity.
Brown had just begun to hit out himself when he was caught off Berg’s bowling for 38 to leave the home side 262-6.
Wright and Chris Jordan quickly established a Sussex lead and they saw out the final six overs to further frustrate Middlesex and take the match into a final day.
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