Sussex 442 and 66-2
Leicestershire 275
Peter Handscomb continued his fine form with 92 but Leicestershire are up against it against second division leaders Sussex at Hove.
The Australian took his tally to 640 runs in this season’s Vitality County Championship but the visitors lost their last four wickets for 18 runs after Handscomb was seventh out with the score on 257.
Left-armer Sean Hunt profited handsomely after switching to bowl down the slope at the 1st Central County Ground, picking up Handscomb, Ben Mike, Scott Currie and Josh Hull in 11 deliveries as Leicestershire were bowled out for 275.
It gave Sussex a lead of 167 but they elected not to enforce the follow-on. And in 15 overs before stumps they lost Oli Carter – squared up by Ian Holland – and nightwatchman Jack Carson, closing on 66-2 – a lead of 233.
The second day had started encouragingly for the Foxes after they took Sussex’s last three first-innings wickets for 11 runs in 23 balls.
Sussex skipper John Simpson finished unbeaten on 183 although he was only able to add three runs to his overnight score in a total of 442.
Holland finished with 4 for 64 after claiming last man Hunt but his day took a turn for the worse when Ollie Robinson removed him during a high-class new-ball spell of 3 for 23 from eight overs.
Bowling a fullish length, Robinson managed enough movement to find Holland’s edge in his second over.
Lewis Hill and Rishi Patel took advantage of some wayward bowling by Hunt before 45-1 quickly became 51-4.
Hill was leg before trying to work Robinson through the leg side and the England pace bowler struck again when he found some extra bounce and Lewis Goldsworthy gave Tom Alsop the first of four catches at slip.
In between, McAndrew picked up the important wicket of Patel who lost his off stump shouldering arms to an in-ducker.
Handscomb and Wiaan Mulder rebuilt the innings during a hot afternoon, adding 108 in 20 overs with few alarms, although Handscomb had an absorbing battle with fellow Australian McAndrew.
Robinson bowled another five-over spell without reward and it fell to Fynn Hudson-Prentice to make the breakthrough when Mulder, having reached his fifty, edged the next ball low to second slip.
Sussex belatedly introduced off-spinner Jack Carson in the 50th over and he struck with his 11th delivery, an arm ball which Louis Kimber – who dropped down the order after struggling in the opener’s role – fatally played back to.
Simpson dropped a difficult chance offered by Ben Cox on one and he and Handscomb put on 57, including five penalty runs awarded by umpires Paul Baldwin and Neil Pratt when Handscomb was hit by an errant throw from James Coles as he turned his back, having stepped out of his crease.
Handscomb looked untroubled but Hunt, whose first nine overs cost 62 and included eight no balls, was a totally different proposition when he came back on at the Cromwell Road end.
Handscomb made a rare misjudgment playing too far away from his body and giving Alsop an easy catch before Hunt swept away Leicestershire’s tail.
Extra bounce defeated Ben Mike’s defensive prod and Simpson took an outstanding one-handed catch diving to his left to remove Scott Currie. In his next over Hunt had Hull leg before and walked off with figures of 4 for 70.
Ollie Robinson, who took 3 for 36, said: “We have been exceptional from the get go. To get 442 on that pitch was a great effort and John Simpson played unbelievably well and then us bowlers have just toiled away.
“It was nice to get three wickets and not have to come back again at the end. It showed we’re bowling well as a team.
“Throughout the season so far it’s not been the same person standing up when we needed a performance. it shows the depth that we’ve got which is making us into a really good team.
“We feel like this pitch isn’t going to get better. It’s starting to spin so hopefully we can bat for maybe three quarters of the day tomorrow and push on and hopefully win another game.”
Wiaan Mulder, who made 53, said: “Sussex bowled pretty well all day. There weren’t many bad balls from them. Pete (Handscomb) and I had a good partnership but generally they bowled really well.
“Pete batted superbly and that’s what led him to be successful but there were some proper divots coming up when someone like Ollie Robinson bowled.
“And that keeps you in your shell a little bit as a batter because you’re not sure if it’s going to bounce or nip. Robinson showed why he is a superb bowler. He keeps coming back.”
Mulder added that Leicestershire would “chase whatever they set us”.
