Sussex finally win

Sussex achieved their first win in the Championship since April 2019 over Derbyshire yesterday.

This was no mean achievement as Derbyshire posted 550 runs in their first innings.

Sussex could not match this but, bizarrely, Derbyshire did not enforce the follow on. Derbyshire lost 7 wickets in their second innings.

Morning play was delayed yesterday because of rain and Derbyshire offered a generous declaration.

Ali Orr scored 158, Mohammed Rizwan 76 and the total was reached with balls to spare.

It was a vindication of a recruitment policy favoured to youth and the loss of stalwarts Ben Brown, Luke Wells, Danny Briggs, Chris Jordan and Phil Salt.

Tom Haines and Ali Orr are the future.

I always enjoy composing a county’s greatest side and then googling it.

Derbyshire’s was heavily weighted to speedsters (Mike Holding, Mike Hendrick, Alan Ward, Devin Malcolm and Les Jackson), a fine wicketkeeper in Bob Taylor and all rounder Dominic Cork.

They are served less in the batting department.

I could only think of Kim Barnett, Chris Adams and Wayne Madsen of the present team, none of them Test regulars.