da apostaganha： Sussex launched the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition with a five-wicket victoryover Worcestershire in a successful return to New Road where they won the oldPro40 League at the end of last season
25-Apr-2010
ScorecardSussex launched the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition with a five-wicket victoryover Worcestershire in a successful return to New Road where they won the oldPro40 League at the end of last season.James Kirtley removed three top-order batsmen in an over as the home sidestruggled to make 144 for 9 and Sussex edged home by five wickets despite asimilar burst by Chris Whelan.The Worcestershire paceman dismissed Matt Prior, Joe Gatting and Murray Goodwinin the space of five balls but the in-form Robin Martin-Jenkins, unbeaten with35, and Andy Hood (16 not out) finished the job with 16.5 overs to spare.New Road revisited actually delivered a better scoreline than last Septemberwhen Sussex lost by 49 runs and had to wait 35 minutes before they were declared40-over champions following Somerset’s defeat by Durham. Two much-changed teams re-convened for the first weekend of county cricket’s newest sponsorship.With Michael Yardy and Luke Wright away with England, preparing for the ICCWorld T20 in the Caribbean, acting captain Goodwin made the right call by givinghis seamers the chance to take control in helpful early-season conditions.It took a brilliant catch by Joe Gatting, low to his left at short mid-wicket,to remove Vikram Solanki in Chad Keegan’s fourth over after Worcestershire’scaptain had hit three fours in a confident start.The real breakthrough for Sussex came with the more contentious of twoleg-before decisions by umpire Mark Benson. Television replays suggested thatPhil Jaques inside edged the ball on to his pad but the Australian was given outfor 22. One wicket for Kirtley led to two more in the next five balls. Alexei Kervezeewas trapped on the crease and Ben Smith carved a catch to Martin-Jenkins atthird man.From this point it was mostly toil for Worcestershire. Moeen Ali reined backafter hitting an early six off Martin-Jenkins and was badly dropped by Keegan atmid-off in batting through 26 overs for 38. Ben Scott, with 22, was the main contributor as the tail scrambled what runs they could against Kirtley, who finished with four for 30, and Rana Naved. The entire innings included only 13 fours and a six.Sussex had 13 boundaries on the board in 14 overs but they were made to pay aprice. Having taken three fours in Jack Shantry’s opening over, Chris Nash (33)eventually nicked the left-arm seamer to slip and Michael Thornely holed out tomid-wicket off the Zimbabwean-born James Cameron.Prior (37) hit two sixes before a loose shot to mid-off set up Whelan’s clutchof wickets, with Goodwin taken at backward point and Gatting at second slip.