Lancashire and Sussex share the spoils as snow stop plays at Emirates Old Trafford

Lancashire entered the final day with a 68-run lead but saw their pursuit of victory halted by both the weather and a stubborn display from Aaron Thomason

Lancashire v Sussex

Emirates Old Trafford (fourth day of four): Sussex 301 and 103-2, Lancashire 407 – match drawn

Scorecard

A game that had often seemed at the mercy of some eccentric weather was brought to a premature conclusion just after lunch on this final day when 20 minutes’ heavy snow ultimately caused the abandonment of Lancashire’s LV= County Championship match with Sussex at Emirates Old Trafford.

The game was eventually called off at 15:20 with Sussex 103 for two in their second innings. The only remotely cricket-related activity to have taken place on the ground in the previous 90 minutes was an impromptu snowball fight among the Sussex players. Lancashire take 16 points from the match to Sussex’s 14.

Aaron Thomason ended the day 46 not out and Tom Clark was unbeaten on 14. Both the wickets to fall were taken by the Lancashire fast bowler Saqib Mahmood.

In truth, a draw had always seemed the most likely outcome since the Sussex openers, Thomason and Tom Haines, had negotiated the first hour of play without alarm.

Lancashire’s frustration was evident in some lively exchanges between the home captain, Dane Vilas, and Thomason but these discussions required no more than the quiet intervention of umpires Neil Bainton and Mark Saggers.

Lancashire took the wickets that gave them hope of forcing a victory in successive overs just after twelve o’clock. Haines was dismissed for 26 just after twelve o’clock when he hooked Mahmood straight to the precisely positioned Tom Hartley at long leg.   

That ended the opening stand of 72 and Mahmood struck again in his next over when he had Stiaan van Zyl leg before wicket for four. However, they were the only successes that Lancashire enjoyed during the morning and Sussex survived to come into lunch on 94 for two with Thomason unbeaten on 41. Fifteen minutes after the resumption the snow arrived. Mahmood finished with two for 19 from 13 excellently hostile overs.

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