Goodwin holds Lancashire up

Murray Goodwin's unbeaten 77 kept Sussex's faint hopes of avoiding defeat alive

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Murray Goodwin’s patience and poise kept title holders Sussex battling to avoid a second successive LV County Championship home defeat as Lancashire established a 139-run first-innings lead and then claimed six wickets on the third day.

Goodwin passed 10,000 career runs on his way to an unbeaten 77 after more than three hours at the crease as Sussex reached 223 for six at stumps - just 84 ahead.

The Zimbabwean displayed splendid resistance to give Sussex hope of escape with heavy rain forecast for the final day, although Lancashire are still clear favourites to record only their second championship win of the season.

He ploughed on after losing Carl Hopkinson and Robin Martin-Jenkins - the Sussex first-innings saviour with 70 - in quick succession in the final session, although it took Steven Croft’s spectacular diving catch at point to dismiss the latter for a streaky 13.

Even England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, brought back for his third, wicketless spell, could not remove Goodwin or Ollie Rayner, who reached nine nout out by the close.

Flintoff, who is hoping to be selected on Thursday in the England squad for the first npower Test against South Africa, got through 19 overs, in addition to 15 in the first innings, for figures of 0-43.

Luck was on the hosts’ side early on when third umpire Richard Illingworth ruled captain Chris Adams’ nick off the last ball of Flintoff’s sixth over before lunch had not quite carried to Paul Horton at slip.

And Sussex got the benefit of the doubt again after the interval when Matt Prior was ruled to have made his ground even though Croft’s throw from square-leg appeared to have run him out.

Although Adams’s escape on five at 47 for one - opener Chris Nash had been removed by Sajid Mahmood 11 runs earlier - took him beyond lunch, he could only advance to 22.

Despite hitting Flintoff for successive boundaries he played on to Glen Chapple, who finished with an impressive 4-49 in 21 overs, having also taken the wicket of Michael Yardy for a hard-earned 36 after Flintoff had softened him up with a lively spell that included four maidens in his first eight overs.

Goodwin and Prior stabilised Sussex on an enduringly flat pitch before the latter was trapped leg before by Francois Du Plessis’ leg spin for 33.

Lancashire had started the day 129 ahead but lost their last two wickets for 10, leaving captain Stuart Law unbeaten on 158.

The Australian now has an amazing average of 126.5 for Lancashire in 10 innings at Hove - and 112.7 against Sussex overall.

Lancashire narrowly missed out on an extra batting point when they were bowled out for 392.