Sussex optimistic for win

County Championship D1, The Oval: Sussex 445-9 v Surrey 304
No play on day three due to rain

Full scorecard

Sussex were unable to build on Adams' day two ton

Sussex were still hopeful of winning their season-opening clash with Surrey despite a rain-ruined third day.

The champions were 445-9 overnight in reply to their hosts' 304 and last wicket pair Jason Lewry (44) and Mohammad Akram (12) waiting to resume.

"Today has gone, so we start off tomorrow and see if the two lads can get a quick 30 to give us a 180 lead," said Sussex captain Chris Adams.

"Then it will just be a case of whether we have enough time to bowl them out."

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The match at The Oval was the fifth to see play abandoned without a ball bowled and draws looked likely in all but Hampshire's Division Two clash with Durham.

The only game that saw play was in Cardiff, where Glamorgan continued their second innings against Derbyshire.

"It is just frustrating not to have been able to get out there today," Adams added.

"But there is only one team that can still win this match, and that is not a bad position for us to be in."

"It will either be 12 points or a maximum for us."

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Surrey: J N Batty (Capt, Wkt), S A Newman, M R Ramprakash J G E Benning, A D Brown, A J Hollioake, Azhar Mahmood I D K Salisbury, M P Bicknell, T J Murtagh, J Ormond.

Sussex: I J Ward, R R Montgomerie, M W Goodwin, C J Adams (Capt) T R Ambrose (Wkt), R S C Martin-Jenkins, M J Prior, K J Innes Mohammad Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, J D Lewry.