County championship: McAndrew and Robinson wrap up Sussex win over Northants

Australian overseas signing McAndrew, who removed both openers yesterday, finished with figures of five for 73 as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 220, Sussex winning by 63 runs.

A short, fiery spell from overlooked England seamer Ollie Robinson did the early damage in gloomy, drizzly conditions. Robinson found plenty of bounce and carry to remove both not out Northamptonshire batters, Matthew Breetzke and Rob Keogh inside the first 20 minutes of this third morning at Wantage Road. It was a spell which effectively dashed the hosts’ remaining hopes of chasing 284 to win.

While Robinson went off with a niggle soon afterwards, Sussex kept the pressure on, removing the in-form Lewis McManus cheaply before a stubborn eighth wicket partnership of 50 in 14 overs between Justin Broad (45) and Ben Sanderson (24) kept Northamptonshire in the chase.

But McAndrew, playing the second of two Championship matches this summer, then returned to take the last three wickets to earn his side their fifth win of the summer.

Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace said: “It was a good win. We thought that this would be a tough little period coming out of the T20 into the two Championship games and we've done well in the two games. Northants was going to be a tough game. They're a good side, a Division One side last year with a lot of good players. And it's a very good win for us.

“It was a difficult wicket, particularly on the first day. There was plenty going on. I think in the end, it's made for a good game of cricket. That's what you want, you don't want to keep having 600 play 600 and boring draws.

“The thing I really liked about it is the fact defensive nicks carried to slip. It probably did a fraction too much on day one. But I thought days two, and three, it's been a good pitch and people have shown that if they applied themselves, they can bat on it. Equally if you've got the ball in the right place, you always felt as a keeper and slip you were always in the game.

“The groundstaff are trying their best to produce wickets that make for good cricket pitches. I applaud them for trying something. They're keeping grass on, like we are at Hove. That's to make the ball go through and not go sideways. Perhaps the first day it did a fraction too much, but it's made for a good game.

“Nathan McAndrew has been excellent. That's the great thing about having people that come back on a yearly basis and hopefully we can have him back again next year as well. He's been outstanding in the two games he's played. He’s a real competitor and a great bloke to have in our dressing room, because he gives so much to the team, not just with what he does on the field.

"He’s a fantastic professional. He's got some vital runs in the T20 as well as bowled brilliantly. So, it’s nice for him that his last Championship game with us for this season, he’s made a really serious contribution to the team winning the game.

"Our catching has been absolutely fantastic this game. They practice hard and they catch a lot of balls, so it's no surprise when they do hang on to them.”

Northamptonshire had started the day on 137 for four – still needing another 147 to pull off a first win of the season. But they soon lost South African T20 international Breetzke (12) when he pulled out of a pull shot against Robinson, only for the ball to climb and take the edge through to keeper John Simpson.

Robinson then got another pacy delivery to lift sharply with Keogh (12) only able to edge through to Jack Carson at fourth slip before Sean Hunt accounted for McManus (5), caught behind, to leave Northamptonshire in trouble at 155 for seven, having lost three wickets for 11 in seven overs.

Broad and Sanderson dug in to keep Northamptonshire’s hopes alive, running sharp ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but unafraid to put the bad balls away.

Sanderson showed his batting credentials with a glorious on drive past the bowler for four to get off the mark against Hunt before clipping Fynn Hudson-Prentice off his legs through midwicket for another boundary.

In neat symmetry, Broad, who drove Robinson straight down the ground for four to bring up Northamptonshire’s 150, reverse swept the left-arm spin of James Coles for another boundary to take the hosts past 200.

The decision to reintroduce McAndrew into the attack proved inspired when, in his first over, he removed Sanderson, who chipped straight to Dan Hughes at mid-on. Then, two balls later, the bowler accounted for Raphy Weatherall with an unplayable inswinging yorker.

Broad still showed belief though, taking the attack to McAndrew, ramping over the keeper for four, smashing over midwicket for six and carving the ball square for another boundary. The bowler ultimately had the last word though and when Broad attempted to swing him over fine leg, Coles took the catch in the deep.