Ward digs deep to frustrate Warne

Ian Ward's days of facing Australia may be over. But the former England batsman continued to be a nuisance for one of their number at Hove today.

Four years ago, while with Surrey, the left-hander played his final three Tests against the Aussies - without conspicuous success - and disappeared from the international picture.

Since then, Ward, now 32, has moved on to Sussex, and his latest half-century for them proved worrying for Shane Warne's Hampshire.

Ward, still inconvenienced by a dislocated finger sustained last week, stood firm yesterday when the visitors threatened to make good use of a narrow first-innings lead by reducing Sussex to 59 for two. Today, he dug in again, moving to 74 not out and extending his stand with Murray Goodwin beyond the half-century mark before losing another partner. Goodwin shouldered arms against former Sussex seamer Billy Taylor, only to suffer the embarrassment of losing his off bail when on 28.

If Kevin Pietersen had held a difficult slip chance when Ward cut loose on 62, Sussex might have been wobbling again. But nothing much is going right for Pietersen at present and, at 134 for three, the hosts had a promising lead of 106.

Frizzell County Championship.

Div 1 -

Canterbury: Kent 347 & 10-0, Warwicks 309.
Lord's: Notts 546, Middlesex 198-6.
Hove: Sussex 252 & 134-3, Hampshire 280.