Baffling: 

After a poor run of form, Michael Thornley had an opportunity to shine. Promotion-chasing Sussex resumed against bottom of the table Middlesex on the final day at Uxbridge on 109 for 5 – a lead of 211. Sussex needed runs, but wickets were at premium also. Luke Hatchett was caught by wicket-keeper John Simpson to give England’s joint tallest ever fast-bowler Steven Finn his third wicket of the innings. At 121 for 6, Sussex needed to regroup, but fast.

The fightback was once again led by Luke Wright. There can’t be many genuine all-rounders that come in at number 8, even allowing for a night-watchman, but that is what has happened to Wright. “I’ve had five-fors,” Wright told us after making a first innings century. A century and half-century in this match spoke for itself.

Sussex claimed that they wanted to win this match rather than settle for a draw, but the morning session yielded less than three and a half runs per over – a poor rate at Uxbridge. Thornley has struggled for form – making just two scores of note, 64 against Gloucestershire and 51 against Northants, all season. He came into this match he had seven single-figure scores in nineteen innings. Thornley took three hours to post his second best total of the season, 53. It required 142 balls and contained only two boundaries – again a poor return at this ground.

He preserved his wicket, but his scoring-rate was pedestrian at best and would cost Sussex dear – giving the lie to their stated intent to play for a win.. He had 27 to his name when joined by first innings centurion Wright. He was beaten to fifty by Wright on his way to the top score of 62. Wright took 65 balls to reach his half-century with nine fours, whereas Thornley more than twice as many.

Thornley reached his fifty in the same over as Wright and departed shortly afterwards, bowled by Middlesex captain Neil Dexter. Lunch was taken at 216 for 7. Wright was unbeaten on 62 with ten boundaries. Shortly after the interval Wright was trapped leg before wicket by Shaun Udal to a ball that appeared a tad high and wide. Wright departed after 86 balls without adding to his score, or showing the slightest sign of dissent.

The Chase:

Sussex declared at 240 for 9 after Ollie Rayner was caught well by Owais Shah at third man for 18, setting Middlesex a victory target of 343 at a rate of just under six per over. England captain Andrew Strauss failed in the first innings, but raced to 13 with three boundaries. The first was a delightful pull to deep backward-square in the first over bowled by former West Indies pace-man Corey Collymore. Hatchett impressed in the first innings, but Strauss meant business with boundaries in consecutive balls through cover and square-leg.

Simpson caught up with boundaries of his own, but in the seventh over Strauss was gifted a life by Rayner missing a presentable chance at second slip by coming across first slip to drop the chance. The bad fielding continued with Panesar particularly victimised. Hatchett dropped Simpson on 12 and England wicket-keeper, Matt Prior missed a stumping opportunity against Strauss after he had dispatched Panesar to the square-leg boundary. An international class keeper should accept such opportunities. Adding insult to Pansear's injuries he not only failed to pick up a wicket, but conceded four byes.

Panesar made up for the disappointment in his next over. After a near miss that went for four byes, Simpson padded up and was given out lbw by umpire David Milns – the same umpire that Panesar showed dissent to yesterday – for 14. Middlesex were 42 for 1 in the twelfth over, behind the rate, but with the stroke-players still to come and a draw still the most likely result

Shah struck two boundaries to cover and extra-cover to bring up Middlesex’s fifty with the first, but was caught by Prior off Rayner for 14 in the same over. After his first innings heroics Dawid Malan failed, caught at short-leg by Thornley to give Panesar his second wicket and Sussex a real chance of victory, but Eoin Morgan had other ideas, hoisting Rayner for a straight six.

The required rate had crept to seven an over with forty remaining – a tough ask. Strauss joined in with a six over mid-on off Panesar in a match-defining partnership, but the former England spinner wanted to prove his point. A quicker delivery beat Strauss’ forward lunge. The England captain was bowled for 37, having hit four fours and a six. At 89 for 4, Panesar was turning the match Sussex’s way with figures of 10 overs, 3 maidens, 3 wickets for 33.

Middlesex captain Neil Dexter joined Morgan and steered his team to safety – well it should have been. His dismissal for 46 triggered a remarkable last hour’s play.