Sussex 361 and 137
Yorkshire 298 and 138-3
Yorkshire, well in arrears at the halfway stage of this absorbing LV= Insurance County Championship clash, so turned it on its head on the third day that they are now poised for victory, their first for a year.
A spirited last-wicket thrash in the morning at Hove meant their first innings deficit was reduced to manageable proportions.
And then they bowled much better than they had in the first innings to dismiss Sussex for 137 and give themselves a victory target of 201 at the 1st Central County Ground. At the close they were 138-3, needing a further 63 on the final day.
Finlay Bean, Saud Shakeel and Dawid Malan all failed to reach double figures. But then Adam Lyth (69 not out) and Shai Hope (53 not out) – who survived a confident run-out appeal – added an unbroken 99 for the fourth wicket.
This put the visitors in control although the weather forecast for tomorrow (Sunday 23 April) is bad.
Earlier, Yorkshire bowled full and straight to take maximum advantage of a Sussex batting line up that was less than obdurate.
They also made the most of a pitch which, though still generally sound, did occasionally betray the batsman who expected true bounce.
Sussex lost all 10 wickets for 96 runs, with off-spinner Dom Bess leading the way, taking three wickets for 36.
The unseemly clatter of wickets started in the most unfortunate of circumstances, with Ali Orr run out backing up for the third time in five innings.
Sussex were looking good on 41 without loss – although Orr had been missed at midwicket on 13 – when the left-hander was surprised by a straight drive by opening partner Tom Haines. The bowler, Ben Coad, deflected on to the stumps.
Tom Alsop, one of the real bankers in the Sussex batting line-up in recent times, was then dismissed first ball, lbw to Coad.
He had moved across his stumps but looked unhappy with the decision. It was a marginal one but the ball may have been clipping his leg stump.
Sussex were still 49 for two at lunch, with a lead of 112. It was what happened after the break that put Yorkshire ahead in the game. Sussex lost three big wickets for five runs in 19 deliveries.
Haines was caught behind driving at a full-length ball that seamed away a fraction. Chet Pujara was then lbw to a nip-backer from Jordan Thompson – his 100th Championship wicket – and the same bowler then had the out-of-form Tom Clark lbw for four.
Sussex were struggling at 66 for five. Matthew Fisher, in an impressive spell down the hill, then struck twice in as many overs.
First, he had Fynn Hudson-Prentice lbw for a handsome 30 and dismissed Nathan McAndrew in the same fashion. This time there would be no wag from the tail.
