Sussex 431-7
Sussex captain John Simpson scored his third century of the season as he took control of a difficult situation against Leicestershire on the opening day of this Second Division County Championship match at Hove.
Leicestershire must be sick of the sight of Simpson who scored an unbeaten 205 at Leicester as well as 167 at his former home ground of Lord’s.
This was his first big score in front of his new supporters – and it was a crowd boosted by the club’s decision to grant spectators free admission.
This time, coming in at 34-3, he scored a chanceless 180 not out in a Sussex total of 431-7, batting almost all day and hitting 29 fours from his 251 deliveries.
But Oli Carter was arguably the real Sussex hero of the day. A gifted ball-striker but one whose keeping skills are not as good as Simpson’s, he lost his place in the side with the latter’s arrival, and this was his first appearance since the opening match of the season.
He came in to open the batting for the injured Daniel Hughes and put on 156 with Simpson for the fourth wicket in just 34 overs. His 96 came off 142 balls, with 15 fours and a six off Scott Currie, flicked off his legs and on to the east-side scoreboard.
He was caught and bowled by Currie attempting a hook that would have given him only his second fist-class century.
When Leicestershire won the toss, it looked a very good one to win. There was a pronounced green tinge to the pitch and the bright morning sunshine had given way to a heavy cloud cover, which lent humidity to the conditions.
It should have been an even better start for the Foxes. Tom Haines had not scored when he edged the tall left-arm seamer Josh Hull only for Currie to spill the straightforward catch at third slip.
But Holland, opening the bowling from the sea end, made up for that when he struck twice in four balls in the sixth over.
First, he had Haines caught at second slip by Louis Kimber, moving sharply to his right. And the same combination accounted for Tom Alsop, with Kimber, on this occasion, taking a low catch.
Holland bowled particularly well to the left-handers. Bowling round the wicket and wide of the crease, he slanted the ball into the stumps and then moved it away in the direction of his three slips.
Sussex lost their third wicket at 34 when James Coles, dropped on four, added just five runs before he was caught down the leg-side to give Holland his third wicket.
The Wisconsin-born Holland is one of county cricket’s more interesting players, having been given his first chance with Victoria, after winning a reality TV show in Australia. The all-rounder is on loan to Leicestershire from Hampshire.
But Simpson, who promoted himself to No 5 in a rejigged batting order, then took charge with Carter. The lunch score was 84-3 after 29 overs but against some ragged bowling and shoddy fielding – four catches went down.
Sussex, who are top of the table with three wins, ran amok in the afternoon session, when they scored 197 runs.
Carter was fourth out at 190. Then Fynn Hudson-Prentice was brilliantly caught by Peter Handscomb at slip for a quick-fire 26 and when Danny Lamb was surprised by Currie’s bounce Leicestershire (third in the table after drawing all seven games) looked back in it at 260-6.
But Jack Carson, dropped twice on the way to 25, and Nathan McAndrew (51 not out) helped put Sussex well on top at the close.
Simpson said: “It was very special today. I’ve got a couple of hundreds already but to get one here at Hove is extra special.
“I just wanted to build some partnerships. The ball was doing a bit and we had to ride that. We just had to be sharp and focused.
“Oli played beautifully. For him to come back in and play the way he did was exceptional. He’s not had the easiest of seasons but the work he’s put in behind the scenes has been great to watch. And I had the best seat in the house watching him.
“He allowed me to play my own game. We gelled really well and that counter-attack after lunch was fantastic.”
