Goodwin leads Sussex to safety

Nottinghamshire went top of the LV County Championship but were denied victory at Hove as valiant batting from Murray Goodwin and Michael Yardy earned Sussex a draw.

After winning the Division One title in each of the past two seasons, Sussex were not prepared to let Nottinghamshire steamroller them on the final day of this match.

It has been a common failing by Sussex this season to cash in on bonus points and here a first-innings tally of 339 seemed below-par.

Nottinghamshire duly proved that was the case by tallying 558 for seven, with Bilal Shafayat (118), Mark Wagh (128) and Matt Wood (98) showing how batsman-friendly the playing conditions were.

That total set up Nottinghamshire to try for an innings victory and Sussex began this morning needing a solid batting display, which they got thanks to Goodwin, who made an unbeaten 101, and Yardy, who fell seven short of a century.

Murray Goodwin showed all his experience in making sure Sussex did not lose to Nottinghamshire

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Nottinghamshire were certainly sniffing victory before lunch when Charlie Shreck bowled Chris Nash and Darren Pattinson uprooted Andrew Hodd's off-stump to leave Sussex on 71 for two.

The champions were still 148 runs adrift with 71 overs remaining, but a stand of 158 in 50 overs between Yardy and Goodwin ensured that Sussex would experience no further alarm.

Yardy was particularly savage on Pattinson early on, pulling and cutting him for five fours in two overs, while Goodwin - starting 44 adrift - had caught up his partner by the time they reached the eighties.

Nothing looked more certain than that the two Sussex batsmen would become centurions, but Yardy mis-timed a drive and spinner Rob Ferley claimed a return catch to end the left-hander’s five-hour innings.

Goodwin did reach three figures for the fifth time this season and for the third successive home match though, and then it was time to agree on the draw with Sussex on 243 for three - 24 ahead with seven wickets standing and 15 overs remaining.

Shreck had taken four wickets in five overs on the second morning to wrap up the Sussex innings but overall the batsman prevailed with not a single wicket falling in the afternoon sessions of the last three days.

Nottinghamshire took full bonus points, with Sussex claiming eight points.