Yardy calls for final flourish

Michael Yardy wants to assume a Sussex side with Division One status intact

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Sussex’s captain-in-waiting Michael Yardy is prepared for a “nervy” final day tomorrow - but is hopeful the reigning LV County Champions will prove their mettle by hanging on to top-flight status.

Yardy closed day three against Yorkshire at Hove unbeaten on 60 out of Sussex’s second-innings 118 for two, after they had followed on 193 runs behind.

The 27-year-old left-hander, already inked in as successor to Chris Adams, who bows out as captain in this match, is ready to relinquish Sussex’s title, but not their Division One status.

“It’s going to be nervy tomorrow, but we’re aware of what we’ve got to do,” he said, after a day which saw Yardy’s fellow opener Chris Nash (106) bail out Sussex with his second first-class century out of 207 all out.

The stakes are high for a team who have won the title three times under Adams in the past six seasons, and twice in the last two years.

But events on the south coast and at Canterbury today conspired to ensure a draw will almost certainly do for both Sussex and Yorkshire, with Kent odds on to be relegated.

“We’ve had tremendous success here over the last few years and we pride ourselves on being a good division one team,” Yardy added.

“We’ve got ourselves in a little bit of a predicament here - partly due to ourselves, partly due to other situations.

“But we’re here, we feel we’re a first division club, because of the success we’ve had. We can’t take that for granted - we’ve got to go out there and show we are.”

Sussex hope to do that by concentrating on their match, and not on Kent’s attempted rearguard against title-chasing Durham.

Yardy will be keen to add runs with the ever-crucial Murray Goodwin on Saturday

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Yardy knows from experience the situation could still change - but is comforted by the fact Sussex appear to have their destiny in their own hands.

“We were looking all right after the first day - with Yorkshire 84 for six,” he remembered.

“But it’s just cricket, and you just never know. Funny things happen, and we know we can’t look any further than our game here - make sure we get a draw, and that keeps us safe.

“That’s got to be our main focus. We can’t worry about what is going on anywhere else.

“When we started this game it was in our own hands - and we’re going to finish day four the same way.

“It’s key to just keep playing it as you would any normal game. It’s easy to say that, harder to do it - but we will do.

“We hope we can bat well tomorrow, then we’ll know our own destiny and won’t have to worry about Canterbury.”

The most important moments of another day of fluctuating fortunes at several venues came when Kent failed to claim a final bowling point and then Sussex scraped a first batting point.

That significance was not lost on the home crowd, who applauded their team’s 200th run with all the gusto they had celebrated Nash’s 100th - with an extra helping of relief on top.

“They knew, and we knew,” said Yardy. “They’re very knowledgeable here. They’ve had a lot of success in championship cricket over the last five years - and we’re very lucky with the great support they give us.”