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MATCH REPORT | MIDDLESEX V SUSSEX

Match Report provided by the ECB Reporter's Network

DAY FOUR

Debutant Sussex tailender Ari Karvelas thwarted Middlesex’s hopes of victory with a defiant career-best half-century to secure a draw at Lord’s despite Tom Helm’s best efforts with the ball.

Karvelas, a Johannesburg-born Greece international, batted for over two hours to blunt the Middlesex attack after Helm’s morning burst – which earned him record match figures of nine for 146 – had raised the prospects of a final-session run chase.

Helm picked up three wickets in 14 balls to reduce Sussex to 96 for seven, an overall lead of just 134, but a stubborn partnership of 45 between Karvelas and Archie Lenham steered the visitors towards safety.

The 28-year-old was eventually dismissed after top-scoring with 57, but by then his efforts had saved the game and the captains agreed on a draw with Sussex on 181 for nine in their second innings.

Although Ali Orr perished cheaply for the second time in the match – run out by Toby Roland-Jones’ direct hit from mid-off – there were few indications during the opening hour that a clatter of wickets might accelerate the game.

Tom Clark batted well for a chirpy 56, hitting successive fours off Roland-Jones and also depositing Helm over the short boundary for a maximum as Sussex progressed to 53 for one.

But Helm, following up a tight spell by Tim Murtagh at the Nursery End, then blitzed the visitors with a trio of rapid wickets – including the prize scalp of Cheteshwar Pujara, a rising delivery looping off the shoulder of the bat to second slip.

When Clark played on to Umesh Yadav on the stroke of lunch, Sussex had slid to 69 for five and were looking vulnerable – even more so after Helm claimed his fourth wicket, with Delray Rawlins taken low at first slip.

Sussex’s advantage still looked fragile when Murtagh bowled Dan Ibrahim through the gate, but Karvelas swiftly increased it by heaving a series of short-pitched deliveries from the Middlesex captain away to the short boundary.

Murtagh rotated his seamers without success as Sussex’s eighth-wicket pair repaired the damage, using up 16.2 precious overs before Roland-Jones finally made the breakthrough, with Lenham (19) leaving the ball alone as it careered back to hit off stump.

However, former Middlesex man Steven Finn joined Karvelas to snuff out any thoughts of a positive result, finishing 10 not out after his partner was finally dismissed, pushing forward at Sam Robson and offering a catch to gully.

DAY THREE

A typically nugget-like century from wicketkeeper John Simpson saved Middlesex from the follow-on on day three of their LV = Insurance County Championship match with Sussex at Lord’s.

The redoubtable gloveman reached three figures for the ninth time in his career in an almost five-hour vigil as the hosts recovered from the perils of 137-4 to reach 485 all out on the stroke of stumps.

Simpson (109) shared stands of 130 with debutant Pieter Malan (64) and 90 with Toby Roland-Jones (85) amid the fightback.

All this should not overshadow a magical debut for Sussex seamer Brad Currie, who produced a bewitching spell of four for 16 in the morning session to rip out Middlesex’s top order. The 23-year-old later returned to claim two more scalps for figures of six for 93.

The hosts resumed 103 without loss and when Sam Robson (62) creamed the first ball of the day through the covers it suggested a continuation of the run-fest.

However, in perfect swing conditions, Currie’s devastating spell threatened to change the entire landscape of the game.

The younger sibling of Scott Currie of Hampshire swung the ball with impunity and found that fraction of nibble which creates uncertainty, so threatening both the inside and outside edge of the bat.

Reward came quickly as his in-swinger beat Mark Stoneman’s inside edge to trap him lbw without adding to his overnight score.

It wasn’t long before Steve Eskinazi, back from England Lions’ duty became his next victim, an outside edge flying through to Oli Carter who clung on at the second attempt.

Adrenaline now coursing through his veins, Currie’s next two wickets came in the space of four balls, Former England opener Robson having his off-stump pegged back by one which beat the outside edge, before Max Holden was castled too via the inside of the bat. The hosts were in disarray at 137-4, leaving Malan and Simpson to re-entrench.

Malan, finally in the UK after his well-publicised visa issues, played confidently from the off, driving well on both sides of the wicket, while Simpson, one ill-advised sweep shot to the spin of Archie Lenham on the stroke of lunch apart looked his normal dependable self

The hosts prospered through the early afternoon, but the minute Poole-born Currie returned Malan was given a life when Carter spilt an edge, the resulting single taking the batter to 50.

And when Simpson followed his partner to the half-century mark from 137 balls Middlesex appeared to be inching towards safety.

However, in the shadows of the tea interval Greek international Aristides Karvelas got a debut wicket with one which lifted and left Malan, though the right-hander looked aggrieved to be given out caught behind and replays suggested he may have cause.

When teenager Danial Ibrahim had Luke Hollman well caught in the gully by Tom Clark from a full-bloodied square cut soon after the resumption, Middlesex were still 82 short of the follow-on.

By now the floodlights were on, but Simpson and Roland-Jones launched a counter-attack amid the gloom, reviving memories of their century-stand against Glamorgan back in April.

Roland-Jones showed controlled aggression striking the ball hard and straight, while Simpson timed the ball sweetly against a tiring attack.

A hard-run two to mid-off carried Simpson to his century in a shade over four and three-quarter hours and by the time Delray Rawlins bowled him soon afterwards the follow-on had been saved.

Currie though completed his day to remember by ending Roland-Jones’ swashbuckling innings before scattering Umesh Yadav’s stumps, but barring something extraordinary on day four this game seems destined for a draw.

DAY TWO

Cheteshwar Pujara’s third double century of the season etched him deep into Sussex folklore on day two of their LV = Insurance County Championship clash with Middlesex at Lord’s.

The Indian international became the first Sussex batter to make a double century against Middlesex at Lord’s. The last Sussex batter to achieve 200 at the Home of Cricket was his fellow countryman Colonel H. H. Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II while playing against the MCC 125 years ago.

Pujara, whose marathon effort, which had begun 24 hours earlier during London’s hottest day on record, batted almost nine hours before being last out, having steered his side to 523 – so eclipsing Sussex’s previous best score at Lord’s of 522 set in 2005.

Tom Helm emerged from the carnage with five for 109, his fourth five-wicket haul in Middlesex colours.

Against a largely inexperience bowling attack, Middlesex made a positive start in reply, reaching 103 without loss at stumps, Mark Stoneman on 47 and Sam Robson 45.

At a time where there is so much talk of ‘Bazball’ Pujara reminded us of the merits of a classical innings, demanding concentration, technique and a purity of stroke-play.

His overnight partner Oli Carter soon departed lbw to Toby Roland-Jones and when Delray Rawlins fenced one from Helm into the hands of Luke Hollman at Gully the visitors were 346-6.

Perhaps fatigued by his efforts 24 hours earlier, Pujara was subdued throughout the morning, twice chastening himself for loose strokes, but helped by youngster Danial Ibrahim, who showed maturity beyond his 17 years, he regathered himself and dug in once more. The pair added 68 either side of lunch before Roland Jones trapped Ibrahim for an invaluable 36.

If Middlesex, who’d put Sussex in on day one, thought their torture was over they were wrong as Pujara found another ally in debutant Aristides Karvelas.

The 28-year-old, who became a Greek international only last week, blocked up an end allowing Pujara to reach 150 in 400 minutes after which the shackles came off. He greeted the return of Hollman by hoisting him into the Compton Stand. His one life on day two came on 175 when John Simpson, standing up to the stumps to Tim Murtagh failed to hold on to a thin edge

The escape allowed Pujara and Karvelas to add 50 before the latter gave Murtagh recompense by hooking him down the throat of deep square.

There was a lovely ovation for former Middlesex man Finn, who allowed Pujara to forge on towards the double century mark.

There were no nervous 190s as he twice in an over drove Murtagh through mid-off for four before a single dropped into the on-side led to another ovation.

Finn was finally stumped, but there was time for a third six before Pujara just failed make red ink, perishing in the grand manner to give Helm his fifth scalp.

After 160 overs plus in the field and needing 374 to save the follow-on, Robson was given a life on 15 when wicketkeeper Oli Carter dropped a dolly which would have given Karvelas a first County Championship wicket.

Scare survived, both he and Stoneman had individual half centuries in sight at the close.

DAY ONE

Tom Alsop and Cheteshwar Pujara both posted centuries as Sussex capitalised on Middlesex’s baffling decision to bowl in 41-degree heat by reaching 328 for four at Lord’s.

Alsop, who hit 135, batted sensibly alongside Pujara – the India star registering his fifth LV= Insurance County Championship hundred of the season to close on 115 not out and put the visitors firmly in control.

Home skipper Tim Murtagh gambled on a greenish surface providing early assistance to the seamers – but that never materialised as his side toiled away in sweltering conditions with little success.

The Sussex pair accrued a third-wicket partnership of 219 before Tom Helm, who finished with three for 63, struck late on by dismissing Alsop and nightwatchman Archie Lenham in the space of four balls.

Middlesex handed a debut to Pieter Malan, finally available after untangling the red tape that had delayed the approval of his visa, but the South African’s first contribution was to fumble a cover drive from Tom Clark over the rope.

Murtagh, who did gain some intermittent swing during the opening hour, made the initial breakthrough with a straight delivery that pinned the in-form Ali Orr in front of his stumps for seven.

However, that was Middlesex’s solitary success prior to lunch, with Alsop looking confident on the front foot and taking advantage of the short boundary as he overtook his partner.

Helm switched to the Nursery End after the interval and immediately persuaded Alsop to edge to Sam Robson at second slip, only for a no-ball to be signalled.

The second-wicket pair went on to extend their alliance to 81, but Helm finally gained some reward for his perseverance as Clark (33) slashed outside off stump and this time Robson flung himself to his left to take a sharp one-handed catch.

That heralded the entrance of Pujara and, following a measured start, Sussex’s stand-in captain switched to attacking mode, advancing down the wicket to punch Luke Hollman to the midwicket boundary.

Having reached his half-century, Pujara brought up the 100 partnership by slamming Malan into the grandstand for the first six of the game as Sussex continued piling up runs without offering their tiring hosts a sniff of a chance.

Alsop was the first to three figures – his third ton of the campaign and second in as many games – before his partner followed suit, pushing Murtagh for a single immediately after the new ball had been taken.

Middlesex performed tidily enough with it, but rarely looked like finding a way through until Helm had Alsop caught behind off a rising delivery and then removed Lenham, with Robson holding on again in the slips.