Jordan Thompson praised debutant Mickey Edwards, admitting the Anglo-Australian fast bowler was unlucky not to strike on his first competitive day in Yorkshire colours.
Edwards returned 0-54 from 14 overs as Sussex ended day one of the LV= Insurance County Championship match at Hove on 275-5 from 79 overs, bad light and rain curtailing the day.
Thompson himself led the way with 2-52 from 14 overs, but big quick Edwards could have easily matched him.
“Mickey’s fitted in really well,” said Thompson.
“He’s a laidback lad, a typical Aussie. But he loves getting in the battle.
“Today, even though he didn’t get his rewards, I thought he bowled well in parts. His pace and bounce probably went against him with the ball skewing off to third and fine-leg. He could have easily had two or three wickets.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
Sussex edged day one thanks mainly to Tom Alsop’s 95, but Yorkshire could very realistically turn the tide tomorrow morning when a new ball is only an over away.
“There wasn’t much sideways movement, and the pitch was pretty slow to be fair – a nice batting pitch and blue skies this morning,” continued Thompson.
“From 124-4, maybe we could have capitalised on that and taken a few more wickets. But, as the ball got older, it got easier to score. This ground’s known for being a quick-scoring one. So we knew if we didn’t get it right, it would be tough to control.”
Thompson had Ali Orr caught in the slips this morning and trapped Cheteshwar Pujara lbw after lunch.
He smiled: “It was part of the plan to bowl on his hip (Orr) and get him caught third slip off the back of his bat!
“No, it was a dog ball as I’d say. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.
“Fish came up the hill and struggled a bit after lunch. Lythy was going to go to Bessy, but I said, ‘Look, bring me on and I’ll see if I can get a breakthrough before the ball gets a bit older’. Luckily, I got Pujara and kept it tight and created a few chances for a while.”
As for tomorrow, Thompson is confident of limiting Sussex’s first innings and setting up a victory opportunity at the weekend.
He added: “We know we can take wickets. The pitch at Headingley (Leicestershire) was tough, and we knew coming here that it’s renowned for being a good batting pitch.
“It will be tough to take 20 wickets, but we have the bowlers to do it.
“Look around the group and there’s plenty of skill and points of difference.”
