Match report: Lancs v Sussex in NCL 2003 by Neil Adams

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Scorecard:

Lancashire v Sussex

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Summary

Nothing would be easier in the world than lambasting Lancashire for this poor performance. However, it is very difficult to criticize a team who have won eleven consecutive games in the NCL since May 25th 2003, and played such wonderful county championship cricket all season. Yes, the wheels came off in a big way, but the team will know that - they do not need reminding. I am confident that the team will pick themselves up, and that normal service will resume next Sunday against Northamptonshire. A large crowd (6,000+) had gathered under a clear blue sky to watch Lancashire's final home game of the season. Alan Fordham from the ECB was in attendance to present the trophy. Lancashire won the toss and elected to bat. Mal Loye despatched the opening ball for four, and all seemed well. Suddenly, and without much logical explanation, wickets tumbled at an alarming rate. Lancashire's final score of 125 was substantially below par. To add insult to injury, Montgomerie and Goodwin made very light work of Lancashire's bowling to attain victory just after 4pm. How ironical that 24 hours previous, Lancashire beat Sussex to deny them the County Championship

 

Lancashire travel to Northamptonshire for the final match of the season on September 21st (First versus second). The presentation of the division two trophy will be made at the end of the game - lets hope that Warren Hegg is holding it!

 

Bowling Performance of the Day

Only Chris Schofield managed to take a wicket in the 17th over. Everyone who bowled conceded runs heavily - Martin 4 overs for 21, Chapple 4 overs for 25, Hogg 2 overs for 21, Wood 5 overs for 25 and Schofield 3.2 overs for 36

 

Batting Performance of the Day

Mark Chilton and Chris Schofield added 61 runs for the 5th wicket in 15 overs in an attempt to rebuild Lancashire's innings. Chilton was eventually run out for 43 from 65 balls (6 x 4) due to a mix up with Warren Hegg in the 31st over. Schofield faced 52 deliveries for his 32 runs (2 x 4) before being bowled by Mark Davis while attempting a reverse sweep with the score on 111

 

Fielding Performance of the Day

It was one of those days! - Sussex's batsmen regularly hit the ball in air, but it always seemed to fall just short. The icing on the cake came in the 14th over, when Hegg failed to gather a return from the third man boundary - the ball travelled to the pavilion ropes for 4 overthrows without a single fielder in sight. Also worthy of a mention under this heading was the catch which Robin Martin-Jenkins held on the long-off boundary (Just a couple of inches inside the rope) to dismiss Peter Martin. He juggled the ball at least 4 times before finally gaining full control - great viewing for Sussex's supporters and pure agony for the home faithful!

 

Highlights of the Day

• The partnership between Schofield and Chilton
• Four Lancashire players received their county cap during the interval - Mal Loye, John Wood, Iain Sutcliffe and Carl Hooper
• Not allowing Sussex to win by 10 wickets!

 

Lowlights of the Day

Truthfully, too many to mention. The main low points of the day were

• Chris Schofield's reverse sweep which led to his dismissal
• The mix-up between Hegg and Chilton which led to the run out
• Hegg's wicket the very next ball after the run out
• Carl Hooper's wicket - a very thin edge down the leg side to wicket keeper Matt Prior
• Not collecting the trophy and a record number of wins in the competition - but wait until next week!

 

Contentious Discussion Point of the Day

The Sussex team thought that Peter Martin had edged the ball to Matt Prior behind the stumps shortly before the last wicket fell. Although there was a clear noise, the umpire adjudged the batsman not out - must have brushed the pad or some clothing

 

Key Notes of the Day

• Lancashire won the toss and elected to bat
• Sutcliffe caught Prior bowled Hutchison 0 (First ball) - 4 for 1 in the 2nd over - Loye 4*
• Loye 14 dropped by Adams at second slip - 2 for 1 in the 5th over - Law 6*
• Law caught Hopkinson bowled Taylor 6 - 23 for 2 in the 7th over - Loye 17*
• Loye lbw bowled Taylor 20 - 39 for 3 in the 11th over - Chilton 10*
• Hooper caught Prior bowled Hutchison 1 (Leg side) - 40 for 4 in the 12 over - Chilton 10*
• 53 for 4 in the 14th over - Chilton 10* Schofield 13*
• 50 partnership - 90 for 4 in the 23rd over - Chilton 34* Schofield 26*
• 100 for 4 in the 26th over - Chilton 37* Schofield 31*
• Schofield bowled Davis 32 (Reverse sweep) - 101 for 5 in the 27th over - Chilton 37*
• Chapple caught & bowled Davis 4 - 109 for 6 in the 29th over - Chilton 41*
• Chilton run out 43 (Yardy/Davis) - 111 for 7 in the 31st over - Hegg 0*
• Hegg caught Hopkinson bowled Davis 0 - 111 for 8 in the 31st over - Hogg 0*
• Hogg caught Hopkinson bowled Davis 1 - 112 for 9 in the 33rd over - Martin 0*
• Martin caught Martin-Jenkins bowled Taylor 6 (Juggling catch at long-off) - 124 all out from 41 overs - Wood 7*

• 50 for 0 in the 9th over - Goodwin 15* Montgomerie 35*
• 50 Montgomerie from 36 balls (9 x 4) - 78 for 0 in the 12th over - Goodwin 28*
• 101 for 0 in the 15th over - Montgomerie 55* Goodwin 46*
• 50 Goodwin from 46 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 5 & 1 x 6) - 105 for 0 in the 15th over - Montgomerie 55*
• Goodwin caught & bowled Schofield 59 - 121 for 1 in the 17th over - Montgomerie 62*
• 128 for 1 in the 19th over - Montgomerie 66* Cottey 1*
• Sussex 4 points beat Lancashire 0 points by 9 wickets

 

Man of the Match

Mark Chilton for his 43 runs

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Neil Adams http://www.cricketimages.co.uk/adams-report/intro.html)