Steve Smith upstaged by Sussex teenager James Coles in clash with Glamorgan

County Cricket

Steve Smith fell 11 runs short of a century in what might be his final innings for Sussex as he was upstaged by teenager James Coles in the LV= Insurance County Championship clash against Glamorgan at Hove.

In his valedictory match for Sussex before linking up with Australia for the World Test Championship final and the Ashes, Smith was on course for a ton until he was rapped on the back pad by James Harris.

Umpire Martin Saggers raised his finger as Glamorgan celebrated, with Smith seeming aggrieved having been potentially outside the line โ€“ the option of reviewing is not available in the championship.

Having turned his overnight 68 not out into 89, Sussex were firmly in the ascendancy and 19-year-old Coles’ 138, his maiden first-class hundred, plus a belligerent 73 in 64 balls from Fynn Hudson-Prentice lifted the hosts to 481 all out and a considerable 358-run first-innings lead in the Division Two game.

Glamorgan, skittled for 123 on the opening day, fared better second time around as they went to stumps on 118 for one although they sit 240 behind overnight and face a battle just to make Sussex bat again.

In Division One, leaders Surrey were grateful for lower-order half-centuries from Sean Abbott and Gus Atkinson (55) as they seized the upper hand against Kent at the Kia Oval.

Surrey stumbled to 180 for six in response to the visitors’ 278 but free-flowing innings from Abbott (78 off 88 balls) and Atkinson (55 off 44 balls) lifted them to 362 all out.

Kent then lost three wickets in in the last three overs of the second day to fall from 78 for one to 80 for four at stumps โ€“ still trailing Surrey by four runs at stumps.

Northamptonshire’s batting woes continued as they were shot out for 56 at Hampshire, with Keith Barker taking four for 13 and two wickets each for Mohammad Abbas and Ian Holland.

After being asked to follow-on, Northamptonshire, who have been rolled for 72 and 63 this season, closed on 50 for two to trail by 261 after Hampshire were all out for 367 in the morning at the Ageas Bowl.

Middlesex are in strife against Somerset at Lord’s after being bowled out for 175, with Matt Henry taking five for 45 and Lewis Gregory and Jack Leach collecting a couple of wickets apiece.

After being asked to follow-on, Middlesex ended the day on 81 for one to sit 148 behind. Somerset earlier converted their 325 for six into 404.

Matthew Montgomery capitalised on Ben Duckett’s absence with an unbeaten 130 to underpin Nottinghamshire’s 326 for five against Essex at Trent Bridge.

The efforts of Montgomery, in the side because Duckett has been rested ahead of the international summer, plus knocks of 57 from Ben Slater and Joe Clarke helped Nottinghamshire establish a 28-run lead.

In Division Two, a day after 22 wickets fell at New Road, Leicestershire’s 180 all out โ€“ where Joe Leach took five for 41 โ€“ set Worcestershire 271 for victory. They closed on 26 for two.

Durham slow left-armer Ajaz Patel claimed five for 93 to reduce Gloucestershire to 255 for nine in response to their opponents’ 445 at Bristol.

James Coles Steve Smith

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