County Championship: Sussex dominate Leicestershire at Hove

Captain John Simpson scored his third century of the season to put Sussex in a strong position against Leicestershire at Hove.

Simpson came in at 34-3, and scored a chanceless 180 not out in a Sussex total of 431-7, batting almost all day and hitting 29 fours from his 251 deliveries.

Oli Carter came in to open the batting for the injured Daniel Hughes and put on 156 with Simpson for the fourth wicket in just 34 overs.

His 96 came off 142 balls, with 15 fours and a six off Scott Currie before he was caught and bowled by Currie attempting a hook.

Ian Holland struck twice in four balls in the sixth over to give Leicestershire a great start.

First, he had Tom Haines caught at second slip by Louis Kimber, moving sharply to his right. And the same combination accounted for Tom Alsop, with Kimber, on this occasion, taking a low catch.

Sussex lost their third wicket at 34 when James Coles added just five runs before he was caught down the leg-side to give Holland his third wicket.

But Simpson then took charge with Carter. The lunch score was 84-3 after 29 overs but against some ragged bowling and shoddy fielding – four catches went down – Sussex, who are top of the table with three wins, ran amok in he afternoon session, when they scored 197 runs.

Carter was fourth out at 190 but then Fynn Hudson-Prentice was brilliantly caught by Peter Handscomb at slip for a quick-fire 26 and when Danny Lamb was surprised by Currie’s bounce Leicestershire looked back in it at 260-6.

But Jack Carson, dropped twice on the way to 25, and Nathan McAndrew (51 not out) helped put Sussex well on top at the close.