Keaton Jennings eases Lancashire over the line at Sussex

Former England opener Keaton Jennings led Lancashire to their third win on the trot in the LV=Insurance County Championship against Sussex at the 1st Central County Ground, Hove.

Lancashire won by five wickets shortly after lunch on the final day to stay top of the Group 3 table, and Jennings followed his first-innings 60 with an unbeaten 91.

Sussex battled hard to the last but ultimately paid for their cheap second-innings dismissal and Lancashire were worthy winners.

The visitors started the day on 124 for 2, still requiring another 129, with Jennings unbeaten on 35. That was after Alex Davies had set Lancashire up nicely with a quick-fire 73 off just 59 balls on third day.

Sussex opened with their two leading wicket-takers in the match, Stuart Meaker and Jack Carson. Jennings reverse swept the ever-threatening Carson for four and Lancashire appeared to be making serene progress towards their target when, after 35 minutes' play, night-watchman Saqib Mahmood had a rush of blood and charged down the wicket to drive Carson. He missed the ball and wicketkeeper Ben Brown made a simple stumping to put Lancashire at 147 for 3.

New batter Liam Livingstone did not last long. With 100 runs still needed, Livingstone, on three, clipped Carson to midwicket where Delray Rawlins tumbled forward to take the catch. Sussex were back in the match.

But Lancashire always looked favourites while Jennings was at the crease. The batter reached his half-century from 105 balls and looked generally untroubled, though he did edge Meaker just short of second slip.

Sussex thought they had made a breakthrough at the other end when Josh Bohannon, on 9, survived an appeal for a stumping off Carson only after both umpires had consulted.

While Jennings continued to play the anchor role, Bohannon went for his strokes. He flicked Jamie Atkins to fine leg for four and guided Henry Crocombe to third man for another boundary. Then he pulled Crocombe backward of square for another four.

Carson remained the most threatening bowler, but after 90 minutes he was replaced by Rawlins. When he bowled a full toss, Bohannon pulled him over midwicket for six.

Bohannon's aggressive innings of 46 came to an end when he pulled Crocombe to long leg where Tom Clark took a fine catch; Bohannon's 53-ball innings included eight fours and a six.

At lunch Lancashire were 228 for 5, still needing 25 runs, and they got there within half an hour of returning from the break.