Champions forced to follow on

LV County Champions Sussex suffered the ignominy of following-on at Taunton and face a huge task to save the Division One match with Somerset.

Ben Phillips and Peter Trego took three wickets each as Sussex crashed from 100 for one to 203 all out in gloomy conditions to give Somerset a first innings lead of 354.

Wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter claimed five catches.

Chris Adams was dropped three times in making 52, while Michael Yardy was also given a life in top-scoring with 57.

Batting again on a rain-interrupted day, Sussex lost opener Chris Nash first ball before moving to 36 for one, when bad light stopped play at 5.50pm with 17 overs remaining.

Somerset would have been in an even stronger position with better fielding. In all, six first innings catches went begging.

Beginning the day on 19 for one, Sussex moved moved comfortably enough to 100 as Carl Hopkinson (49) and Yardy completed a century stand.

Yardy was leg before wicket to Phillips on the stroke of lunch, having hit eight fours in his 91-ball innings.

But there was little resolve about the Sussex batting after the interval and they were soon 118 for five as Murray Goodwin, Hopkinson and Matt Prior fell in quick succession, Steffan Jones (2-53) taking two of the wickets.

A couple of short rain breaks at the start of the afternoon session saw nine overs lost.

Luke Wright was caught behind off Charl Willoughby (2-43) for four and Adams, who had led a charmed life, was caught by Willoughby at square-leg to give Phillips (3-34) his third victim.

The Sussex captain had hit nine fours in his 69-ball knock, having been dropped on one, 11 and 41.

Robin Martin-Jenkins contributed a quickfire 18, but it was 197 for eight at tea after he had been caught by Kieswetter off Trego (3-49).

Jason Lewry and Corey Collymore quickly fell to the same combination after tea and Sussex had to settle for a solitary batting point as Ollie Rayner was left unbeaten on 19.

Nash bagged a pair when falling lbw to Willoughby’s opening delivery of the second innings and soon the South African left-armer was bowling to four slips and two gullys as Somerset sought to press home their advantage.

But Hopkinson and Yardy made sure there was no further embarrassment for Sussex.