Northamptonshire’s Second XI travelled to The Blackstone Academy Ground near Hickstead for their last Championship fixture of the season. Coach Graeme White selected a young side and captain Harry Gouldstone won the toss and elected to bowl on a green wicket.
The start was delayed by an hour due to a wet square but once play commenced, Northamptonshire’s bowlers found form with the ball and soon made inroads into the Sussex innings. Three overs after lunch, Gus Miller had struck twice in six balls and Sussex were rocking at 83-5 after 32 overs. Miller had claimed three wickets, Gareth Berg one and a terrific run out from Will Masojada had caused the damage.
Tom Hinley and Henry Rogers then steadied the ship for Sussex and the young pair then started to rebuild the innings. When bad light finished the day, the pair were still at the crease after putting on an unbeaten partnership of 173 from 306 balls for the sixth wicket. Sussex ended up on 254-5.
With no play on days two and three, both sides decided to make a game of their last 2nd XI Championship fixture of the season.
Sussex batted for a further 6.3 eventful overs. Gus Miller snared Harry Rogers for 95 just before Tom Hinley reached his maiden championship hundred. The ball after he reached his milestone, the batter hit another boundary and Sussex reached 300. They declared with Miller ending up with figures of 4-58 and both sides immediately forfeited their next innings setting Northamptonshire a total of 301 to win in 87 overs.
The side set about the task in a positive fashion, aided by some wayward bowling from the Sussex attack who conceded thirteen no-balls and a wide to the opposition total. Northamptonshire wobbled slightly when they lost two wickets in three balls with the total on 40. But valuable knocks from Harry Gouldstone (83 not out), Will Masojada (70) and James Cronie 59 saw the Second XI over the line with 58 minutes of the last hour still remaining.