Sussex turn the screw

A late burst of four wickets for 15 runs off as many balls from Jack Brooks was of little comfort to Yorkshire fans as Sussex again dominated events on the second day of the LV=County Championship First Division match at Headingley.

Fluent knocks of 92 from skipper Ed Joyce and 93 from wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Brown, guided Sussex to a final total of 356 which gave them a first innings lead of 260.

Then Yorkshire opener Alex Lees departed with only four scored and when bad light ended play a couple of overs before tea the home side were 27 for one and still trailing by 233.

Having bowled out Yorkshire for 96 on the opening day, Sussex's batsmen adopted a positive approach in order to compensate for any time lost to the weather and they were aided at times by some loose bowling.

Brooks, in his maiden Championship match for his new county, conceded 60 runs off his first 9.4 overs before picking up his wickets, which included both Joyce and Brown, while off-spinner Azeem Rafiq was punished for 70 runs in 15 overs for a solitary success.

The pick of the Yorkshire attack was Ryan Sidebottom who deservedly dismissed last-man Monty Panesar to give him a return of four for 72.

Sussex began the day on 104 for three with Joyce on four and Rory Hamilton-Brown yet to score but he showed immediate aggressive intent with two firmly struck boundaries in Sidebottom's opening over.

With runs coming freely, Yorkshire went unrewarded in the first hour but Liam Plunkett then replaced Steven Patterson and with his second ball he had Hamilton-Brown lbw for 26 to end a 51 stand in 17 overs.

Joyce, showing exquisite timing, took boundaries either side of the wicket off Plunkett, while Joe Gatting found the middle of the bat off the same bowler, the ball sailing over mid-wicket for six.

He was also severe on Brooks but departed for 20 when he lashed out at Rafiq's first ball and fell to a running catch by Brooks at wide mid-off.

Now Brown took up the challenge with his captain and the sixth-wicket pair galloped Sussex on to 236 for five by lunch, the two-hour morning session having brought them 132 runs for the loss of two wickets.

The flow of runs could not be stemmed and Brown's eighth boundary brought him his 50 off 66 balls, both batsmen appearing sufficiently in control to go on to record centuries.

But Brooks returned to dash the hopes of both of them, the last two balls of his opening over getting rid of Joyce and Chris Jordan.

Joyce was caught at second slip by Lyth off a thick edge, his runs having come off 140 deliveries with 16 fours, and Jordan was lbw.

Brown kept out the hat-trick ball but a rejuvenated Brooks went on to have Steve Magoffin caught low at first slip by Adam Lyth before removing Brown's middle stump as he attempted to drive, his splendid 93 coming off 95 balls with 14 fours and one recorded six which included four overthrows.

Yorkshire were soon denied the solid start to their second innings which they were looking for, Lees squeezing a boundary to third man before Magoffin had him picked up at first slip by Jordan.

Phil Jaques soon worked his way into double figures but worsening light, followed by rain, came to Yorkshire's aid shortly before the tea interval.