Mason seven sent for Worcestershire

Matt Mason produced a devastating display of seam bowling to check Sussex at Hove

Matt Mason’s second seven-wicket haul of the season kept Worcestershire in contention to pull off their first win of the 2009 LV= County Championship.

The 35-year-old Australian took 7-60 on the second day against Sussex at Hove and without him Worcestershire would have conceded a substantial first-innings deficit.

Mason bowled outstandingly in the morning session to take 4-16 from 12 overs as Sussex slumped to 101 for six in reply to Worcestershire’s 256.

Mason took 7-39 against Lancashire at Old Trafford earlier this season and in similar conditions he was soon among the wickets, trapping nightwatchman Ollie Rayner leg before with his second ball of the day.

Skipper Mike Yardy was bowled by a yorker, a delivery Mason used sparingly but effectively, before he had Murray Goodwin caught at slip propping forward just when it looked as if the horribly out of form Goodwin, who had made 21, was starting to play with the confidence of old.

Carl Hopkinson became his fifth victim when he was held at second slip driving extravagantly at a ball well outside off stump but the trouble for Worcestershire was that no one was able to match Mason’s accuracy and aggression at the other end.

Luke Wright and Hodd staged a fightback by adding 69 for the seventh wicket and although Mason had Wright caught at slip in his second over after lunch he was tiring by then and Hodd was able to counter-attack in the company of Yasir Arafat.

They put on 78 for the eighth wicket in 21 overs until Arafat exited in tame fashion, was caught behind trying to dab Gareth Batty’s off breaks to third man.

Worcestershire skipper Solanki took the new ball immediately and Mason duly obliged as Hodd was beaten by late away movement and edged to slip for 73, his third half-century of the season which came off 136 balls with 11 fours.

Gareth Andrew, the pick of the other seamers, picked up Robin Martin-Jenkins to end the innings but this was Mason’s day.

There was still plenty to assist the quicker bowlers, however, and Sussex made good inroads after tea. Worcestershire had not cleared their arrears when Daryl Mitchell was beaten by Martin-Jenkins’ late inswing.

Stephen Moore mis-timed a pull to deep square-leg and Arafat struck two crucial blows just before the close when Ben Smith and Solanki were both leg before to big in swingers to leave Worcestershire 71 for four at stumps, a lead of just 47.