What a difference a couple of weeks can make.

Sussex were fretting over their division one future after failing to finish off Gloucestershire at Hove a fortnight ago. Two weeks on, after winning the return fixture at Cheltenham with more than four sessions to spare by 227 runs they are, for a few hours at least, second in the table and back in the hunt for their second Championship in three seasons.

Only an entertaining century by Ramnaresh Sarwan, who made 117 out of his side's 179, prevented total humiliation for Gloucestershire but the West Indian's strokeplay was nothing compared to Matt Prior's brilliant hundred earlier in the day.

Prior's 72-ball blitz was an outstanding display of clean hitting and means he now shares the record for the fastest century of the season with Shane Warne.

Mindful of a poor forecast for today, Sussex wanted as much time as possible to bowl Gloucestershire out a second time but when they resumed yesterday with a lead of 269 not even their most optimistic supporter could have envisaged they would be bowling again 70 minutes after the start having set a target of 406.

Prior began his assault by hitting Martyn Ball's off-spin for three successive sixes, two straight blows and the other into the Cheltenham Rugby Club tent on the mid-wicket boundary.

He then took apart leg-spinner Malinga Bandara, striking the Sri Lankan for two more sixes, the first of which landed on the roof of the college gymnasium before tumbling onto the A40 below.

There were ten boundaries too and although he was dropped on the cover boundary on 83 not too many Gloucestershire supporters were disappointed.

It was fantastic entertainment for the festival crowd and even the home fans, long since resigned to their side's fate, enjoyed it immensely.

When Prior became only Kadeer Ali's second first-class wicket he had scored 109 off just 79 balls. Mike Yardy was the ideal foil at the other end as he made an unbeaten half-century, the fifth wicket pair having added 125 in 53 minutes of morning mayhem.

Everything seemed set up for a Mushtaq Ahmed masterclass on a wearing pitch and although the leg-spinner duly snared three more victims to take his season's haul to 51, it was compatriot Rana Naved who delivered the telling blows.

With opener Phil Weston sidelined after Rana broke one of his ribs in the first innings and Steve Kirby only able to bat with a runner there was not much hope for Gloucestershire, but at least Sarwan made Sussex sweat - for a while anyway.

While his partners struggled to cope with Mushtaq's forensic probings and Rana's hostility, Sarwan blazed away with typical Caribbean panache, his first 50 runs coming off just 41 balls with ten fours.

He added six more boundaries and two sixes, the second of which landed in the members' stand and took him to his first hundred for the county.

He had one life on 93 when Rana dropped a shell at mid off which he did well even to get his hands too, but the Pakistani had his revenge when he returned to the bowling attack to deliver what was effectively the match-winning spell.

Sarwan, playing over a straight one, perished in his second over and Ball lost his leg stump in the next, beaten for sheer pace by a ball which curved back into him.

When Bandara was yorked shortly afterwards, Rana had claimed his first five-for in Sussex colours. In five Championship matches he has now taken 31 wickets. It makes you wonder how well the county might have done had he been here from the start of the season.

Rana had broken through before lunch by taking wickets with successive deliveries as Kadeer clipped a good-length ball to square leg and Matt Windows fell leg before. To make his day, he even scored a hat-trick when the players warmed down an hour later with a game of football.

James Kirtley's late inswing proved too much for Alex Gidman while Steve Adshead padded up to Mushtaq who also picked up Ian Fisher, who made the only other double-figure score, and last man Kirby.

Time will tell whether Sussex have left their title push too late but their Championship campaign finally has some momentum at the most important stage of the season
Monday, August 15, 2005