da 888： Eoin Morgan scored 58 in his first County Championship appearance of theseason for Middlesex but Sussex are 211 runs ahead at 109 for 5 in theirsecond innings and remain in control of the Division Two top-versus-bottom matchat Uxbridge
23-Jul-2010
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Eoin Morgan made a positive 58 but could not make Sussex pay with more•PA Photos
Eoin Morgan scored 58 in his first County Championship appearance of theseason for Middlesex but Sussex are 211 runs ahead at 109 for 5 in theirsecond innings and remain in control of the Division Two top-versus-bottom matchat Uxbridge.Morgan’s innings was the highlight of Middlesex’s 350 all out, but he wasbowled just before lunch attempting to pull a quicker ball from off spinnerOllie Rayner that also seemed to scuttle through a little low.It was a disappointing end to a bright 85-ball knock from 23-year-old Morgan,whose first scoring shot was a lofted on-drive for six off Monty Panesar and wholater also hit Rayner down the ground for a second six to go with his sixfours.England’s Irishman is expecting to be named on Sunday in the squad for theopening Test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge, which starts next Thursday, butfirst he might have to play another significant innings for his county ifMiddlesex are to prevent second division leaders Sussex from gaining victory onthe final day.At the close of day three Sussex were in sight of building a potentiallymatch-winning lead, despite some effective new-ball bowling from Steven Finn andToby Roland-Jones, who took over the mantle when Iain O’Brien limped off thefield with a leg injury.Finn, indeed, opened the innings with a marathon 16-over spell – four beforetea and twelve more afterwards – and was fiery enough throughout to suggest thathis fitness for next week’s first Test is not in any doubt at all.Corey Collymore was Sussex’s best bowler as they worked their way steadilythrough the Middlesex batting order following the home side’s resumption on 127for 2.John Simpson did not add to his overnight 58 before being well held by a divingRayner at second slip off Collymore, but Morgan and Dawid Malan then put on anattractive stand of 103 until Panesar bowled Malan through an over-ambitiousslog-sweep.Neil Dexter and Gareth Berg held up Sussex for a while, but Berg was bowled bymedium-pacer Michael Thornely and then Collymore and Lewis Hatchett cleaned upthe innings with the second new ball.Dexter edged Collymore to second slip, Shaun Udal was caught at the wicket togive impressive left-armer Hatchett his maiden Championship wicket, Roland-Joneshad his off stump removed by Collymore and Finn was castled by Hatchett.That earned Sussex a first-innings lead of 102, but if they thought they wouldromp away from Middlesex with the bat in the final session then they reckonedwithout the fine combined effort of Finn and Roland-Jones.From 36 without loss at tea, Sussex lost four wickets for 29 runs as both ChrisNash and Ed Joyce fell to a pumped-up Finn after Mike Yardy had played on toRoland-Jones, who then sent back Matt Prior cheaply even though the England Testwicketkeeper looked baffled to be given out caught behind the stumps.Murray Goodwin hit 35, and added a hard-fought 40 for the fifth wicket withThornely, before being trapped lbw by Middlesex captain Dexter.