A thrilling third day is in prospect at Trent Bridge where Nottinghamshire and Sussex are struggling for supremacy in their LV= County Championship match.

After two days of intense cricket, the home side lead by 294 having closed the day on 228 for seven in their second innings.

Samit Patel, unbeaten on 88, and Luke Wood, who has 52, are still together at the crease having added an unbroken 120 together.

The day was particularly memorable for Jake Ball, who recorded the best figures of his career by taking six for 49 as Sussex were, earlier, removed for 189 in their first innings.

Batting again, with a lead of 66, Notts then struggled against the unerring accuracy and penetration of Steve Magoffin, who ended the day with figures of four for 48, to give him 10 wickets in the match.

After an eventful day, Jake Ball was happy to reflect on the first five-fer of his career.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to get my first five-fer out of the way and to do it when we needed it, to help put the team in the position we are, it was a very special feeling.

“We spoke about getting off to a good start this morning and put them on the back foot and we’ve managed to carry that on through their innings – but obviously to get those wickets myself, I’m really happy.”

The opening session of the day produced 134 runs for the loss of four wickets, three of them to Jake Ball, as Sussex moved from 39 for three to reach lunch on 173 for seven.

Chris Nash was the first man to go, adjudged lbw to Ball for 15, as he tried to work to leg. Luke Wright looked full of shots after he’d arrived at the crease but then lost his off pole to Ball, also for 15.

The same bowler had Ben Brown caught behind, first ball, by Riki Wessels and it could have been much worse for Sussex had Craig Cachopa and Chris Jordan not both been spilled in the slip cordon.

Jordan’s was the only other wicket to fall, comprehensively bowled by Luke Wood, leaving Cachopa unbeaten on 46 at the interval.

His 50 arrived in the first over of the afternoon, coming from 80 deliveries, with eight fours and a pulled six off Will Gidman.

Steven Mullaney struck in the next over, having Ollie Robinson smartly picked up by Gidman at second slip.

Cachopa added another boundary but then became Ball’s fifth victim, clean bowled, to herald jubilant celebrations from the bowler and his team-mates.

Matt Hobden was last out, giving Ball his sixth wicket, to another lbw verdict.

The Nottinghamshire openers began again in mid-afternoon and added 28 before Steve Magoffin bowled Brendan Taylor for seven.

Mullaney scored 20 before edging Robinson to Jordan at slip and Alex Hales and James Taylor both departed quickly, for five each.

Riki Wessels counter-attacked his way to 26 but then miscued a shot off Jordan which flew all the way down to Wright at third man.

Straight after tea Magoffin struck two significant blows. Greg Smith was given out caught behind for 11 and then Gidman, unluckily, was bowled off his body for nought.

That was the last success of the day for the guests as Patel and Wood built their partnership.

Patel reached his third Championship 50 of the summer from 65 balls, with eight fours and received solid support from Wood.

For the second time in the match the young left-hander played an impressive hand, although he received a huge slice of fortune on 35 when he was bowled by a Jordan no ball.

Sussex were made to pay for that reprieve as Wood proceeded to his 50, getting there from 81 balls, just before the close.

 

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