County Championship: Sussex take control against Derbyshire

Cheteshwar Pujara’s century led a dominant Sussex batting display on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match at Derbyshire.

The Indian scored an unbeaten 104 with Tom Haines, Tom Alsop and James Coles all making half-centuries as Sussex closed on 357-5, a lead of 111, while two late wickets for Luis Reece kept Derbyshire in the game.

The home side had earlier taken their first innings to 246 thanks to a career-best 47 from Blair Tickner, who shared a ninth-wicket stand of 68 with Jack Morley before Coles took 2-6 with his left-arm spin to finish off the innings.

Tickner was in sight of a maiden first-class half-century when he made room to force Coles and was bowled by a quicker ball. Morley then came down the pitch to dispatch Jack Carson over long-on for six.

Derbyshire were close to a batting point when Morley tried to force Coles through the offside but missed and was stumped.

Early wickets were needed to put Sussex under pressure and Daryn Dupavillon obliged in his second over.

The South African quick bowled Tom Clark but Haines reached his 50 in the first over after lunch and the stand with Alsop was worth 90 when he played on aiming to cut a ball that was too close to him.

Alsop reached his 50 with consecutive fours off Reece but after tea he aimed to work Anuj Dal through mid-wicket and was lbw.

Sussex began to take control of the match in the evening session. Coles launched Morley over long-on for six before Pujara reached 50 and Coles completed his when he pulled Zak Chappell to the fine-leg boundary.

The partnership was worth 141 when Coles drove Reece low to mid-off and, after Pujara punched David Lloyd to the cover boundary to complete a century, Reece bowled John Simpson with one that straightened.