Sussex make Surrey struggle

County Championship D1, Hove, day two (stumps): Surrey 212-6 v Sussex 429

Full scorecard

Challengers Sussex had champions Surrey on the ropes after cutting the visitors down to 212-6 on the second day at Hove.

Surrey's five-point lead over the Martlets at the top of the table had been cut to two by the end of the day, as bonus points swapped hands for batting and bowling.

After posting a first innings 429, the hosts then took four wickets before Surrey had reached three figures.

But an unbroken seventh wicket partnership of 86 between Mark Ramprakash and Martin Bicknell steadied the nerves of visiting supporters.

Ramprakash hit a patient 74 as wickets fell around him, Robin Martin-Jenkins and Mushtaq Ahmed taking two wickets each.

Reformed tailender Bicknell had hit five boundaries in his 42 by stumps.

Earlier, Jimmy Ormond took three wickets, including home skipper Chris Adams caught behind without adding to his overnight 107, to finish figures of 4-106.

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Sussex: R R Montgomerie, M W Goodwin, P A Cottey, C J Adams (Capt), T R Ambrose (Wkt), R S C Martin-Jenkins, M J Prior, M J G Davis, Mushtaq Ahmed, R J Kirtley, P M Hutchison.

Surrey: I J Ward, J N Batty (Wkt), M R Ramprakash, G P Thorpe, R Clarke, A J Hollioake (Capt), Azhar Mahmood, M P Bicknell, I D K Salisbury, Saqlain Mushtaq, J Ormond.