Cheteshwar Pujara’s 99* lead as Sussex bid to hit big

Sussex 302 for 4 (Pujara 99*, Coles 74, Alsop 67) vs Gloucestershire

Zafar Gohar was the most successful bowler in Gloucestershire at 2 for 67. But even his efforts on a docile ground could not upset the patient Pujara who by the time he had seen 190 balls had hit 13 fours and a six.

Warm sunshine and a drying breeze dispelled fears of a wash-out on the second day after only 16 overs had been possible on day one before continued heavy rain left water on an already wet outfield.

Referees Billy Taylor and Mark Newell decided that play could resume after inspections at 11:00 am, 12:30 pm and 1:20 pm. Gloucestershire skipper Graeme van Buuren opted to open the bowling with left-armed spinner Gohar and it paid off quickly.

Ali Orr, who had added five to his overnight score of 31, passed the first ball of the third and only managed to top a soft catch to wicket-keeper James Bracey to make the score 58 for 2.

After moving from 11 to 34, Alsop survived a sharp chance for Miles Hammond at a gully at Marchant de Lange, with the ball jabbing the outfielder’s fingertips on its way to the third man’s boundary. It was all the luck it took for the southpaw Sussex to progress to fifty, with 123 balls, with 6 fours, out of a total of 111 for 2.

Ominously for Gloucestershire, it looked like Pujara would be standing for long innings from the moment he struck. The veteran India Test batsman was very cautious, especially against the accurate de Lange, who had figures of 1 for 17 after 11 overs, four of which were virgins.

Pujara took 78 balls to reach 19, but then cut loose with a drawn four from Lange and a square boundary from Gohar. At tea, taken at 4pm, Sussex had made 138 for 2 from 49 overs, with Alsop on 63 and Pujara on 28. The visitors clearly intended to bat just once in a match already heavily curtailed by weather.

The final session began with Ajeet Dale going past the inside edge of Alsop’s bat, swinging the ball late and beating Bracey to add four byes to the total. Dale troubled both batsmen of the Ashley Down Road End, worked up some decent pace on the slow pitch, and got his reward when Alsop shoved a defensive shot to first slip where Chris Dent held the catch in his midriff.

At 158 ​​for 3, Sussex had to rebuild. But by then, Pujara had progressed to 40 out of 108 deliveries and was looking good. He was joined by a player more than 16 years his junior in England Under-19 international Coles.

With the Seat Unique Stadium bathed in sunshine, Pujara advanced to his half-century, having hit almost exactly three hours and eight fours. He celebrated with a gloriously driven boundary through extra cover from van Buuren, an indication of the power of attacking shots in his locker when he chooses to unleash them, while Coles looked unconcerned in sharing a century stand in 24 overs.

The closest Pujara to come out was an inside rim beyond his leg stump at Gofar. He responded by cutting two boundaries off the spinner’s next hit with the left arm.

Gloucestershire took the second new ball after 80 overs, with the score at 258 for 3. But it failed to impress, as Coles reached a fluid and chanceless fifty off 85 balls, with six fours. The 19-year-old fell in the final of the day, stunned as he walked down the field to Gohar in an attempt to give Pujara the blow.

The Indian maestro is unlikely to lose sleep over being at 99 and will be looking to add significantly more on day three.