Sussex 156 (47.4 overs) and 84-3 (23 overs)
Warwickshire 161 (47.3 overs)
Sussex (3 points) lead Warwickshire (3 points) by 79 runs with 7 wickets remaining
Sean Hunt, Michael Booth and Chris Woakes led a collective display of top-drawer seam-bowling as title-chasers Warwickshire and Sussex delivered a gripping second day of their Rothesay County Championship match at Edgbaston.
In the morning, Sussex collapsed to 156 all out, losing their last seven wickets for 44 runs against an attack led by Woakes (4-36) and Booth (3-9).
Warwickshire’s batters then fared little better for 161 all out, only tail-end resistance featuring Booth (34 not out, 45 balls) repairing damage caused by Hunt (4-30) and Henry Crocombe (3-60).
Trailing by five runs on the first innings, Sussex closed on 84-3 (Tom Haines 32 not out, 64) in their second to leave the match perfectly poised.
The Rothesay County Championship is widely regarded as the best red-ball competition in the world and the Edgbaston crowd was treated to a day which underlined that reputation: high skills, high drama and constant twists.
Sussex resumed on the second morning on 99-3 and 45 minutes later had lost five wickets for three runs in 17 balls.
Woakes was almost unplayable. He trapped James Coles LBW and had Charlie Tear (who dug in for three in 44 minutes) and Fynn Hudson-Prentice caught in the slips.
Sussex found no respite at the other end as Ethan Bamber removed John Simpson, caught at first slip, and knocked out Jack Carson’s off-stump.
Crocombe edged Olly Hannon-Dalby to wicketkeeper Alex Davies. Number eleven Jaydev Unadkat heaved Hannon-Dalby for two sixes but was denied the chance to land further blows when Hunt edged Booth behind.
In reply, Warwickshire soon lost Zen Malik, LBW to Hudson-Prentice, then advanced to 65-1 before Sussex hit back spectacularly with six wickets in 11 overs.
Crocombe took the first two – Dan Mousley (29, 46), who top-edged a pull, and Will Young, caught at second slip.
Hunt blasted out the next four, following the big wickets of Rob Yates (25, 57) and Ed Barnard, both caught by wicketkeeper Simpson, by removing Alex Davies and Woakes with successive balls.
Vansh Jani’s obdurate 14 in 76 minutes was ended by a fine catch at third slip by Tom Haines off Unadkat.
That left the Bears 102-8 but – against an attack deprived of the injured Hudson-Prentice who has been replaced in the match by Danial Ibrahim – Warwickshire’s tail wagged.
Booth and Bamber (24, 32) added 37 and, after Bamber lifted Crocombe to long-leg, Booth and Hannon-Dalby eked out 22 to take their side in front.
In 23 overs before the close, Sussex lost Daniel Hughes, LBW to Bamber, to the first ball. Haines and Tom Clark (22, 41) added 49 but the irrepressible Booth was not finished.
Clark nicked behind and Charlie Tear pulled to mid-wicket, the last twists of a tremendous day’s cricket.
Warwickshire bowler Ethan Bamber said: “It’s a great game to be involved in. These are the sort of games that are brilliant to play in – two teams near the top of Division One.
“It’s been a really fast-moving game. We are really pleased with our efforts this morning. We reflected that we weren’t quite at our best yesterday but today the lads bowled very well. Woakesy was unbelievable this morning – so so good – and everybody played their part.
“Then it was tricky to bat and Sussex bowled really nicely as well. It was good to get to parity and it does feel like the pitch is changing a little bit after three heavy rollers today.
“The pitch looked slightly truer and more evenly paced later on so I think the second innings will bring higher scores.”
Sussex bowler Sean Hunt said: “It was an interesting day and very mixed. We lost our seven wickets quite quickly.
“But I think to bowl them out for only five ahead was a pretty good effort and then a good shift with the bat has put us in a decent position going into day three.
“The ball was certainly moving off the pitch this morning and the bounce was quite true which makes it a bit harder when there’s movement there.
“But it was still moving when we bowled and we showed if you put it in the right place you get your rewards.
“Personally, it was nice to take more than one wicket. Everything felt good but there was movement there and it just happened to be me that got the wickets whereas everyone bowled really well.
“I’m feeling ok. I didn’t play much one-day cricket to be ready for a big shift in this last six games but the rhythm is coming and I’ve been working hard with James Kirtley in the nets.”
