Sussex v Surrey: Wells ton gives hosts chance of victory

County Championship Division One, Cricket Field Road
Close, day three: Surrey 124 & 39-1, Sussex 351
Sussex 6pts, Surrey 3pts
Match scorecard

Luke Wells hit his second Championship century of the season to give Sussex a chance of victory against Surrey.

After resuming on 90-6, having lost their last five wickets for just seven runs, Wells hit 127 to rescue his side.

James Anyon (64 not out), Naved Arif (34) and Steve Magoffin (34) helped the hosts reach 351 - an advantage of 227.

Murali Kartik (4-102) was the pick of the bowlers for Surrey, who ended on 39-1, with Jason Roy the man out for 35, to set up an exciting final day.

With nine wickets remaining, Surrey now need to score a further 188 to avoid an innings defeat.

Mark Ramprakash, who has had a miserable season so far (with a top score of only 24 from 11 innings) is still there on three not out.

Wells, 38 overnight, reached three figures against Surrey for the second time this season, having registered 108 against them in the first match of the campaign.

But this innings came to an end when he was caught behind off Indian spinner Kartik, who also dismissed Arif, while Magoffin and Monty Panesar fell to Jon Lewis and Gareth Batty respectively.

VIEWS FROM THE COMMENTARY BOX

BBC Sussex's Adrian Harms:

"An intriguing day at Horsham, where the herculean efforts of the ground staff were rewarded with an excellent day's cricket.

Luke Wells played as good an innings as you could expect to see, scoring his second hundred of the season despite numerous interruptions for bad light and rain.

"Huge credit to the Sussex tail as well, they batted with real determination adding 264 for the last four wickets with James Anyon scoring a career best 64 not out as the Surrey bowling and fielding deteriorated badly after tea.

"Surrey will need to bat all day tomorrow to save the game, but, on a pitch offering some help to the bowlers, that could be easier said than done.