David Willey’s burst of three wickets enabled Yorkshire to force a late victory against Sussex at Headingley in Group 3, despite debutant Ali Orr’s innings of 67; matches at Somerset, Essex and Kent all drawn
Last Updated: 06/06/21 6:40pm
David Willey took three quick wickets in the final session as Yorkshire finally ground down Sussex to triumph by an innings and 30 runs
David Willey’s spell of three wickets in six balls broke stubborn Sussex resistance to set up an innings victory and lift Yorkshire to second place in Group 3.
Sussex seemed set to frustrate their hosts at Headingley, with opener Ali Orr hitting 67 on his first-class debut and Aaron Thomason (52) also notching a half-century to leave them with six wickets still in hand at tea. Yorkshire vs Sussex scorecard
But England spinner Dom Bess (4-51) kept the Tykes in the hunt and Willey (3-26) scythed through the Sussex tail in the final session, removing Jack Carson (5), Stuart Meaker (0) and Harry Crocombe (0).
Sussex opener Ali Orr top-scored with 67 on his County Championship debut
Yorkshire were held up for the best part of an hour by Ben Brown (22) and last man Jamie Atkins (10 not out) before home captain Steven Patterson applied the finishing touch by having Brown caught behind with just 5.2 overs remaining to end the Sussex innings for 215.
The victory, by an innings and 30 runs, took Yorkshire to within four points of group front-runners Lancashire.
Somerset have opened up a 10-point lead at the top of Group 2 after their clash with Hampshire at Taunton ended in a draw.
Set an unlikely 459 to win from a minimum of 75 overs, the visitors closed a final day curtailed by afternoon rain on 88-2, with Tom Alsop unbeaten on 23 and Sam Northeast 19 not out.
Earlier, George Bartlett had compiled a fluent hundred, including 11 fours and two sixes, and Tom Banton contributed an unbeaten 51 as Somerset extended their second innings score from an overnight 323-6 to 409-7 before declaring.
Brett Hutton registered his best bowling figures since returning to Nottinghamshire at the end of last season before their Group 1 match against Essex was eventually abandoned as a draw.
The former Northamptonshire seamer finished with 5-65 to wrap up Essex’s first innings for 210 in the morning, capturing his 200th first-class wicket when he trapped Shane Snater (24) lbw to end his eight-wicket partnership of 50 with Simon Harmer.
Luke Fletcher (2-32) dismissed Harmer (20) before Hutton sent Simon Cook’s off stump cartwheeling to earn Nottinghamshire a first-innings advantage of 83.
The visitors extended that lead to 127 as they reached 44-2 second time around, with Snater (1-13) and Peter Siddle (1-10) collecting a wicket apiece before rain intervened to ensure the draw.
Kent‘s Group 3 game with Northamptonshire ended in a draw, despite an engrossing final day at Canterbury.
A brave declaration by Kent on their overnight score of 335-5, when they were still 62 runs behind, helped set things up, with the home side then reducing Northants to 138-7 at one point in their second innings.
A captain’s innings of 59 not out by Adam Rossington steered Northamptonshire to a draw against Kent
But an obdurate Adam Rossington eventually steered the visitors to safety with an unbeaten 59, Northants having progressed their score to 184-8, and a lead of 246, when play ended.
Nathan Gilchrist took 3-57 and Darren Stevens 2-42 for Kent as they scented an unlikely victory, only for the game to drift away in the final session.