LONDON, Aug 17: Sussex overcame a tough start to set a blistering pace of their English County Championship clash with Middlesex at Lord’s on Tuesday. Michael Yardy (179) and the Pakistan all-rounder Rana Navedul Hasan, who made a career-best 139, shared a 228-run stand for the seventh wicket, a record for Sussex against Middlesex.
And Mark Davis kept the pace high with an unbeaten 50 as the visitors posted 522-9 in just 104 overs.
Stuart Clarke, called into Australia’s squad a week ago, went wicketless through 22 overs, conceding 109.
Another Pakistani, leg spinner Danish Kaneria, bowled Essex back into their match against Derbyshire.
Kaneria’s three wickets either side of tea completed the home side’s slip from 129-1 to 233-6.
James Middlebrook started the slide when he had Steve Stubbings (64) caught at short extra cover and Kaneria trapped Hassan Adnan lbw for 52.
But home skipper Luke Sutton hit a patient 16 not out and Ant Botha, an unbeaten 30, to reach 272 at the close.
South African pace bowler Andre Nel was unable to make his Essex debut after twisting an ankle in practice.
Wicket-keeper Steve Adshead hit a maiden first-class century to steer Gloucestershire from early peril to a credible total against Surrey at The Oval.
Surrey’s Pakistani duo Azhar Mahmood and Mohammad Akram struck to leave the visitors, who opted to bat first, 3-1 after five overs.
But Alex Gidman (84) found a willing ally in Adshead, who finished unbeaten on 148 in his side’s 350 all out.
Surrey lost Scott Newman in reply to reach 29-1 in six overs before stumps.
Surrey welcomed back three veteran stars with captain Mark Butcher back from a wrist injury to play his first Championship clash of year and Graham Thorpe back from paternity leave.
Saqlain Mushtaq, the Pakistan off-spinner, took his first Championship wicket in over a year when he dismissed James Averis leg before for 29.
After leaving Surrey last season through injury, Saqlain has now been re-registered as Surrey’s second overseas player on a match-by-match basis, replacing India’s Harbhajan Singh.
Scores on Tuesday:
County Championship:
Division One:
At Lord’s: SUSSEX 522-9 (M.H. Yardy 179, Rana Navedul Hasan 139, M. Davis 50 not out) v MIDDLESEX.
At The Oval: GLOUCESTERSHIRE 350 (S.J. Adshead 148 not out, A.P.R. Gidman 84); SURREY 29-1.
At Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire (22 points) beat Warwickshire (3 points) by an innings and 151 runs.
WARWICKSHIRE 156 (A. Harris 4-41, R.J. Sidebottom 4-41) and 207; NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 514 (D.J. Hussey 232 not out, C.M.W. Read 89; D.R. Brown 5-128).
Division Two:
At Worcester: SOMERSET 318 (C. Gazzard 74, A. Suppiah 72); WORCESTERSHIRE 20-0.
At Derby: Derbyshire 272-6 (S.B. Stubbings 64, Hassan Adnan 52); Essex
At Old Trafford: YORKSHIRE 324-6 (M. Wood 86, C. White 71 not out)v LANCASHIRE.—Agencies