Sussex v Yorkshire (County Championship) : Day Three

A stunning unbeaten 130 from Darren Lehmann could not stop Yorkshire from capsizing to defeat by an innings and 25 runs against Championship front-runners Sussex at Arundel yesterday.

Their record at the half-way stage of the season now makes dismal reading with five losses and three draws. There is a three-week break from the competition and director of cricket, David Byas, is keeping his fingers crossed Yorkshire can boost flagging morale by making a big impact in the Twenty20 Cup, which starts on Tuesday with the visit to Headingley of Durham.

Hopes that Yorkshire could turn in a feisty performance quickly faded as Sussex took their overnight score from 479 for seven to 550, chiefly through a dashing 86 off 135 balls with eight fours and three sixes from Championship debutant, Yasir Arafat.

Michael Vaughan, who was again unable to field because of his sore knee, could not come in until the fall of the fifth wicket, and his opening role was taken by Andrew Gale who was unable to capitalise on the situation. The left hander soon being bowled off-stump by Jason Lewry.

For the second time in the match, captain Craig White applied himself well and with Anthony McGrath rediscovering some of his best form they added 88, McGrath completing his 50 off 71 balls with nine fours before he tried to pull Lewry, only to present Richard Montgomerie with a simple catch at mid-wicket.

Michael Lumb, never looking comfortable, became Robin Martin-Jenkins' first victim since late April and the slide continued as White, on 49, went back to Mushtaq Ahmed's googly and was bowled.

Two more wickets toppled in the first two overs after tea, Gerard Brophy edging Ahmed to slip and Vaughan being given lbw pushing at Arafat by reserve list umpire, Terry Urben, who was standing in for the indisposed Allan Jones.

Richard Dawson was bowled without scoring by Arafat and Lewry had Jason Gillespie caught behind to pick up his 500th first class wicket for Sussex, but Lehmann blazed the trail during a fascinating duel with Ahmed and he galloped to his third century of the season off 109 balls with 14 fours and three sixes.

Matthew Hoggard contributed one to a 62 stand with Lehmann when he was bowled by James Kirtley. Deon Kruis was lbw to Ahmed in the first over of the extra half hour, Yorkshire being all out for 287 with Lehmann unbeaten on 130 from 135 balls with 19 fours and three sixes.

Scorecard

Sussex v Yorkshire at Arundel

Overnight: Yorkshire 238 (C White 104, R K J
Dawson 56; J D Lewry 4-54). Sussex 479-7 (M
W Goodwin 235, C J Adams 107).

Sussex First Innings
Yasir Arafat run out 86
R J Kirtley b Gillespie 14
Mushtaq Ahmed c Hoggard b Dawson 11
J D Lewry not out 0
Extras (b3 lb4 w1 nb7 pens 0) 15
Total (151 overs) 550
Fall: 1-13 2-33 3-87 4-341 5-352 6-401 7-
455 8-500 9-517
Bowling: Hoggard 22-5-75-0. Gillespie 35-9-89-
4. Kruis 35-6-108-3. McGrath 21-1-107-1.
Dawson 20-5-82-1. Lehmann 17-0-76-0. Lumb
1-0-6-0.

Yorkshire Second Innings
C White b Mushtaq Ahmed 49
A W Gale b Lewry 4
A McGrath c Montgomerie b Lewry 58
M J Lumb c Adams b Martin-Jenkins 15
D S Lehmann not out 130
G L Brophy c Adams b Mushtaq Ahmed 0
M P Vaughan lbw b Yasir Arafat 4
R K Dawson b Yasir Arafat 0
J N Gillespie c Prior b Lewry 10
M J Hoggard b Kirtley 1
G J Kruis lbw b Mushtaq Ahmed 0
Extras (b4 lb7 w1 nb4 pens 0) 16
Total (78.4 overs) 287
Fall: 1-13 2-101 3-135 4-139 5-143 6-148 7-
162 8-204 9-266
Total Bonus Pts: Sussex 8 Yorkshire 3
Bowling: Lewry 21-1-67-3. Kirtley 13-3-41-1.
Yasir Arafat 11-3-36-2. Mushtaq Ahmed 27.4-5-
109-3. Martin-Jenkins 6-1-23-1.

Sussex (22pts) beat Yorkshire (3pts) by an innings and 25 runs