Day Two
I open day two with Claydon and Wiese. Old Davy boy doesn’t take long to get Sam Robson, doing him for pace and clean bowling him. 30-1.
Not long afterwards he’s at it again, ripping Gubbins’ middle peg out of the ground for 20. 41-2.
Eskinazi likes a hit and I grow concerned that he is really going to slap us around. However, Claydon nips one off the seam, he flaps and Finch takes the snick. 107-3.
The downside is that this brings Mr Handscomb and his 57 average to the wicket. However, my fears prove unfounded as Claydon does him for pace at well. Get in! 123-4
Morgan is in outstanding form and really goes after us. However, he reckons without the legend that is Wiese. He draws him into a false stroke, Brown takes the snick and they’re 168-5.
The Irish England skipper has made 69 from 72 balls, and I’m delighted to see him trotting off.
Aadil Ali and Tom Lace both bat well. Or at least, Lace goes well and Ali manages to survive so much that he may as well be feline. They pass our total and begin building.
Meaker finally gets Lace for 71 with a great catch by Salt under the lid at short leg. 287-6
The big lump then bounces Ali who finally – finally – fends one off his nose and is caught by Finch for 64. 290-7
Rowland-Jones makes a dashing 22, but Wiese steps up and traps him on the crease. 322-8. They lead by 80.
Claydon and Beer clean up the tail and they end 346 all out. There is just over an hour left of the day and they lead by 104 runs.
Sussex second innings
It would be sweet if we could not screw this up.
We look like we aren’t going to. With 15 minutes left of the day, Wells survives an lbw shout that looks like it’s pitched outside the line by a millimetre.
We end day two 49-0 and trailing the visitors by 55 runs.
