Unadkat four-for, Hughes fifty ensure Sussex take strong grip

Sussex 121 for 1 (Hughes 57*) trail Glamorgan 186 (Carlson 56, Unadkat 4-52) by 65 runs

Sussex, aiming to virtually clinch promotion to the first division of the Vitality County Championship with their seventh victory of the season, made a good start when they bowled out Glamorgan for 186 in 57.3 overs, with left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat returning figures of 4 for 52.

Glamorgan, looking for just their second win and their first Championship victory at Hove since 1975, were then made to suffer in the field as Tom Haines (48) and Daniel Hughes (57 not out) put on 110 for the first wicket. They missed their rested opening bowler Timm van der Gugten as Sussex ended the first day just 65 runs behind with nine wickets in hand.

Sussex, unchanged from their recent victory over Derbyshire, chose to bowl on an overcast, autumnal morning and their decision was soon rewarded.

With the third delivery of his opening over, Unadkat had Asa Tribe caught by Hughes at short leg. Tribe, playing only his second first-class game, had faced just five deliveries. Unadkat made another breakthrough in his third over when he knocked back Sam Northeast’s middle stump via the inside edge . This put a dent in Northeast’s away batting average of over hundred runs per innings for the season.

Glamorgan, who welcomed back James Harris and Ben Kellaway, lost their third wicket at 70 in the 20th over when Colin Ingram, having survived Ollie Robinson’s impressive opening burst with a combination of skill and good fortune, played forward defensively and lost his middle stump to a sharp delivery from Henry Crocombe. And in his next over Crocombe had Billy Root caught at second slip by Tom Clark. Glamorgan went to lunch on 91 for 4, with the battling Kiran Carlson unbeaten on 48. But Robinson’s heroic nine-over opening spell was wicketless.

Both Robinson and Unadkat showed a preference for bowling downhill from the Cromwell Road End. But when they were replaced by part-time bowler Clark the medium-pacer struck twice in three balls after the interval. Kellaway gloved one down the leg side and then Carlson was also caught behind. He had faced 81 deliveries and struck eight fours in his 56.

Glamorgan lost their seventh wicket at 135, with Chris Cooke bowled by a Robinson delivery that trimmed his off bail, and looked likely to fold quickly. But then Dan Douthwaite and James Harris featured in an obdurate 16-over stand that yielded 49 runs.

When Douthwaite removed his sweater and looked around the field he looked ready to adopt the long handle. But he was immediately caught behind and Unadkat struck again four balls later to dismiss Andy Gorvin, who was also caught behind to give wicketkeeper John Simpson his fourth catch of the innings. Harris was bowled by the offspinner Jack Carson and Glamorgan had lost their last three wickets for two runs.

When Sussex batted Haines almost played on early in his innings and Hughes was badly dropped by Root at deep-backward square leg off the bowling of Ned Leonard when he had made just 8. But both batters went on to punish the Glamorgan attack before Haines fell just before the close. At the lunch interval Sussex awarded county caps to James Coles and Hughes.