Wood's wait almost over

Matthew Wood, 85 not out overnight, can repay the faith shown in him by Notts in reaching an elusive century

Matthew Wood closed in on his first LV= County Championship hundred since 2005 as Nottinghamshire took control on the second day of their Division One game against Sussex at Horsham.

The 28-year-old from Exeter batted for four and a half hours for his undefeated 85 as second-placed Notts reached 231 for two when bad light stopped play nine overs after tea.

It means the visitors are only 78 runs behind Sussex and in a position to press for the victory which would narrow the gap on leaders Durham.

With little lateral movement to assist their seam bowlers it was hard work for the Sussex attack throughout a hot day.

Corey Collymore and Robin Martin-Jenkins, who took his first championship wicket since June 11, gave captain Mike Yardy control and off-spinner Ollie Rayner bowled two impressive spells.

But a flat pitch and fast outfield meant it was relatively easy for the batsmen once they had established themselves.

Sussex had failed to add to their overnight 309 for nine when Corey Collymore trod on his stumps defending the fifth ball of the day from Charlie Shreck.

Nottinghamshire had 43 on the board in the eighth over of their reply, when Yardy made a surprise change by introducing Rayner in the eighth over to exploit Scott Newman’s perceived weakness against spin.

It paid off when the left-hander, in his second match since joining Surrey on a month’s loan, got a bottom edge trying to force a ball which kept a touch low through the off-side.

Newman reacted by swiping the middle stump out of the ground - an action which the umpires confirmed afterwards will be reported to the ECB’s disciplinary panel.

He is the second player facing a slap on the wrists after they also confirmed that Ed Joyce will be reported for dissent following his dismissal on the first day.

Wood and Mark Wagh put on 132 in 39 overs for the second wicket, although Wood had a reprieve on 42 in the last over before lunch when he edged hard to slip but Joyce failed to react in time and the ball went to ground.

Wagh accelerated during the afternoon and it was a surprise when he fell for 73, bowled by Martin-Jenkins off an inside edge as he drove through the covers. He hit nine fours and a six off Rayner over long on.

Wood, whose last championship century was his career-best 297 for former county Somerset against Yorkshire in 2005, pressed on although he added just four runs in nine overs after tea before the light got too bad. Play was eventually abandoned at 5.45pm BST.