Day Two lunch: Sussex close in on big Somerset victory at Horsham

The home seamers again tormented a woeful Somerset attack to reduce them to 73-6 at lunch - still 151 runs behind the Sussex first innings total.

After Steve Magoffin’s stunning 8-20 in the opening session yesterday, there were similar fireworks with Jimmy Anyon taking three wickets and Chris Jordan two before lunch.

The morning began with Sussex resuming on 298-9, and from the third ball Magoffin ran up a comfortable two to take the applause as Sussex reached 300 for the extra batting point.

That was how it finished as, two balls later Magoffin was caught by Steve Kirby at mid wicket giving Alfonso Thomas the best Somerset figures of 5-69.

With Somerset needing to make up a 224 deficit from the first innings they needed a strong start to stand any chance, but it was again the temporary hosts on the front foot.

In similar overcast conditions to yesterday, the Somerset tormentor in chief Magoffin quickly whipped off his pads to open the attack from the church end again alongside Chris Jordan.

Both again started positively, Jordan with an LBW appeal turned down against Marcus Trescothick as the visitors took five overs to get off the mark.

And it was that man Magoffin again who struck first in the tenth over, Trescothick with the slightest of nicks behind on 13 as he totalled just 33 from both innings.

Anyon was brought into the attack in the eight over and he soon had a wicket, Peterson caught square to send a leading edge to Rory Hamilton-Brown at backward point.

At 32-2 it would have got worse for the visitors had Magoffin held a good caught and bowled chance off Suppiah.

Sussex didn’t have to wait long for the next wicket however, the very next over in fact, Anyon striking the leading pad of James Hildreth plum in front for nought.

And the Sussex seamer continued to enjoy himself as opening batsman Suppiah - who had played a few nice strokes for his 22 - sent a dolly to Monty Panesar at mid on to make it 47-4.

A totally inept Somerset batting order were being carved up again and Alex Barrow was next to see the dreaded umpire’s finger, albeit after a pause as Jordan struck him in front of leg stump.

A stunning diving catch from Ben Brown behind the wicket gave Jordan another as Trego added just two leaving Somerset with an almost impossible task at lunch, with Buttler and Thomas at the crease, both on five.