CricInfo Championship: Warwickshire v Sussex at Birmingham, 7-10 Sep 2001 CricInfo Live Report

CricInfo Championship: Warwickshire v Sussex at Birmingham, 7-10 Sep 2001
John Sheldon

Warwickshire 1st innings: Day Two: Lunch, Day Two: Tea,
Sussex 2nd innings: Day Two: Stumps, Day Three: Lunch, Day Three: Tea, Day Three: Stumps,
Live Reports from previous days

MONTGOMERIE AND ADAMS MAKE SURE FOR SUSSEX IN PROMOTION BATTLE WITH WARWICKSHIRE

Sussex appeared to have made promotion a formality by batting Warwickshire out of realistic contention on a low-key third day out at Edgbaston.

Needing only a draw to confirm First Division status next year, the south coast county established an imposing lead of 397 thanks to centuries by Richard Montgomerie and Chris Adams.

They lost only two wickets in six-and-a-half hours while adding 312 and they may yet make the game watertight by building on their total of 324 for 3 on the last morning.

Warwickshire had one success in the first hour when nightwatchman James Kirtley was caught at first slip but began to look a dejected side after missing an opportunity to run out Montgomerie when he had made 40.

The opener made his native county pay by taking his second hundred of the season off their bowling and when he was out for 121, he had completed eight centuries in his summer of nearly 1,700 first-class runs.

He batted for nearly five-and-a-half hours, hitting 15 fours from 258 balls, and after so much care and application, it was a disappointing conclusion when he hoisted a short delivery from Vasbert Drakes to deep square leg.

A third-wicket stand with Adams had yielded 199 and his partner was then on 99 after reaching 1,000 runs in a season for the fifth time in his career.

The Sussex captain safely chalked up his third century of the year from 196 balls but remained intent on locking up promotion by cautiously advancing to 132 not as his young partner, Tim Ambrose, made an unbeaten 41 out of 78 in the 26 overs.

MONTGOMERIE CONTINUES PROLIFIC FORM AS SUSSEX TAKE NO CHANCES IN PROMOTION BATTLE

Richard Montgomerie completed his eighth first-class century of the season as Sussex attempted to build an impregnable position on the third day at Edgbaston.

The former Northants opener made an unbeaten 110 and put on an unbroken 175 with skipper Chris Adams to open up a lead of 295 on reaching 222 for 2 at tea.

Warwickshire-born Montgomery, out for a duck in the first innings, successfully followed up a score off 116 against his native county at Hove in May.

Needing only a draw to rubber-stamp their promotion to the First Division, Sussex seemed intent on batting all day.

Nightwatchman James Kirtley stayed for nearly an hour before he was caught at slip off Alan Richardson - and this was the only success in two sessions for Warwickshire.

Montgomerie's hundred included 13 fours from 216 balls and Adams was marginally quicker in moving smoothly to 87 not out from 175 deliveries.

SUSSEX TAKE FEW CHANCES IN QUEST FOR PROMOTION-CLINCHING DRAW

Knowing that a draw would confirm their promotion to the First Division, Sussex made no secret of their intention to bat Warwickshire out of the game on the third day at Edgbaston.

A studiously-compiled half-century by Richard Montgomerie - his 11th time past 50 in this season’s CricInfo Championship - was the main theme in the addition of 89 runs in 135 minutes this morning.

On reaching lunch at 101 for 2, with Montgomerie on 52 after an unbroken stand of 54 with Chris Adams, they had stretched their overall lead to 174.

Nightwatchman James Kirtley extended his stay by 55 minutes until he was caught at slip off Alan Richardson, who had dismissed first innings century-maker Murray Goodwin in Saturday’s progress to 12 for 1.

Montgomerie, who might have been run out on 40, reached his 50 with only five fours from 110 balls and Adams followed a similar tempo for his 29 not out.

SUSSEX ON TOP IN PROMOTION BATTLE WITH WARWICKSHIRE

Sussex emerged from the second day with a lead of 85 and the guarantee that a draw would put them in the First Division next season.

Warwickshire, now struggling to get back into a promotion spot, stubbornly stayed in contention thanks to the efforts of Ian Bell and Vasbert Drakes.

Drakes wrapped up Sussex's first innings for 321 by taking the last two wickets in five balls and then made his first half-century for the county in a recovery to a total of 248.

The West Indian all-rounder’s partnership of 85 with Bell cleared a target of 172 to avoid the follow-on and everything else represented unexpected profit after a slump to 101 for 5.

Bell, the England Under-19 captain, continued his development to an Academy place in Australia by reaching 549 runs in 13 Championship innings this season.

The 19-year-old gave one chance on 51 as he hit 12 fours from 175 balls and reached 80 before an edge off Mark Robinson gave Chris Adams his third catch in the slips.

The early damage had been caused by Jason Lewry and James Kirtley, the cutting edge in Sussex’s successful campaign with 121 Championship wickets between them.

Though they were unable to sustain the breakthrough, Robin Martin-Jenkins got rid of the stubborn Nick Knight for 17 and came back to whittle through the lower-order for figures of 4-75.

Drakes, who hit nine boundaries, became his fourth victim when caught behind the wicket after making exactly 50 and Melvyn Betts was close to snatching another batting point until caught on the long leg boundary off Kirtley.

Sussex then lost Murray Goodwin, who made 150 in the first innings, while making 12 for 1 in seven overs before the close.

BELL LEADS WARWICKSHIRE RECOVERY

Ian Bell led Warwickshire's battle to escape the follow-on as Sussex closed in on promotion from the Second Division.

Pace pair Jason Lewry and James Kirtley reached a combined 120 Championship wickets for the season in reducing the home side to 101 for 5 in mid-afternoon.

But Bell found some support in partnerships of 42 with Dougie Brown and an unbroken 39 with Vasbert Drakes until tea was taken early because of rain.

Warwickshire were then 140 for 5, still needing 32 to avoid batting again, and grateful to their 19-year-old England A batsman for an unbeaten 51 from 138 balls.

Sussex had reached 321 despite losing their last two wickets in five balls from Drakes, but their own seamers were equally effective.

Michael Powell edged Lewry's sixth ball to second slip and Mark Wagh lost his off stump to Kirtley, who then had David Hemp lbw for 16. Nick Knight went to Robin Martin-Jenkins before lunch and Lewry came back to have Brown caught at second slip for 23.

SUSSEX NEAR PROMTION AS WARWICKSHIRE BATSMEN STRUGGLE

Sussex took another step towards promotion despite losing their last two wickets within five balls from Vasbert Drakes in the second over at Edgbaston.

Jason Lewry and Mark Robinson were both caught in the slips as the south coast side closed their first innings with three bonus points and a handy total of 321.

This meant that a maximum bowling return, coupled with a draw or a win, would guarantee a place in the First Division next season.

Another bonus point was quickly banked when Lewry and James Kirtley lifted their combined Championship output for the season to 119 wickets.

Michael Powell edged Lewry's sixth delivery to Chris Adams at second slip and Kirtley produced two straight balls to bowl Mark Wagh and trap David Hemp lbw.

With Warwickshire rocking at 21 for 3, Nick Knight had still to open his account. The left-hander was eventually lbw to Robin Martin-Jenkins after making 17 towards of a lunch score of 62 for 4.