Rayner reigns in Lancashire

Ollie Rayner snared five wickets for Sussex at Old Trafford © Getty Images

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Off-spinner Ollie Rayner claimed only the third five-wicket haul of his career to put Sussex in control of their LV County Championship Division One match against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Lancashire, who had won the toss and elected to bat first on a murky Manchester day, were bowled out for 206 as Jason Lewry picked up three wickets. Luke Wright and Mushtaq Ahmed snaffled one apiece.

Sussex replied with nine for nought when bad light halted play mid-way through the seventh over.

Left-arm swing bowler Lewry ripped out Lancashire’s top order with a trio of scalps including Lou Vincent and Iain Sutcliffe, both bowled in consecutive balls for ducks, and later in-form Paul Horton.

He finished the day with figures of 3-33 from 14 overs while Rayner was the pick on a dry track as he recorded 5-65 from 25.3 overs.

The Red Rose county were tottering at 16 for three and later 31 for four when Wright had captain Stuart Law caught behind by Matt Prior.

But South African Kolpak batsman Francois Du Plessis and all-rounder Steven Croft shared a stabilising fifth wicket partnership of 59 before off-spinner Rayner entered the fray.

Rayner, a 22 year-old off-spinner who took the wicket of England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff in the reverse fixture at Hove, broke the stand early in the afternoon session when he forced Du Plessis to top edge an attempted sweep.

Rayner completed the catch to remove Du Plessis for 37 off 72 balls with the score at 90 for five.

Croft followed 10 overs later for an 87-ball 46, including six boundaries, when he was smartly caught at first slip by Chris Adams.

Glen Chapple was next to go shortly after, caught by Lewry in the same position, to gift Rayner his third wicket and leave the score at 131 for seven.

But then Sutton and Dominic Cork shared an eighth wicket alliance of 53 to settle things down.

Cork lifted Rayner over long on for six before an interruption for bad light after a delivery from Lewry came out of a dark hospitality window at the Stretford End of the ground.

The players returned to the field 10 minutes later with a white tablecloth blocking the window, however Cork was soon trapped lbw by Rayner for 32.

Mushtaq, playing his first game for six weeks, got in on the act when he trapped Keedy leg before and Sajid Mahmood was the last man to go when he was caught by Robin Martin-Jenkins at long on to complete Rayner’s five-for.

Lancashire wicketkeeper Luke Sutton was stranded on 45 not out.