Handscomb plays key role in stunning run chase

Middlesex's Australian captain Peter Handscomb played a key support role as his side chased down a tough target of 370 to defeat Sussex by seven wickets on Sunday and go top of the County Championship's second division.

A partnership of 209 between Sam Robson, who hammered 149, and Handscomb, who compiled 79 off 142 balls, set Middlesex on their way to the win, achieved with just 19 balls left in the match, and which has left Sussex winless after five games.

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Handscomb then tipped Australian-born Robson to revive his England Test career as he celebrated a win that saw Middlesex put together their eighth-highest fourth-innings total ever.

"It was an incredible win, to chase down that big total in 74 overs. We saw the moment there and we took it," Handscomb said.

"There needs to be conversations about Sam Robson playing for England again.

Image Id: 8173156DD2124046BDECA5672FEB2EF9 Image Caption: Peter Handscomb says Sam Robson should be in the frame for an England recall // Getty

"The team looks like it's going through a restructure and Robbo has been putting it together for three or four years now.

"We've already seen that he can make runs opening for England."

Sydney-born Robson, who has an English mother, played seven Tests in 2014 but has not represented England since.

He was the County Championship's third top run-scorer last season with 1,047, including 253 in September, while this 149 was his first century of the current season.

Sussex had started the final day on 3-236, a lead of 270, and Cheteshwar Pujara carried on his form with some pre-declaration urgency, effortlessly driving the second ball of the morning through the covers for four before cutting two more boundaries.

Image Id: 03C3BE992F114FAF8CD929BA08C06E36 Image Caption: Alastair Cook scored twin tons for Essex // Getty

The former India Test star, who was dropped earlier this year, finished on 170 not out as Sussex declared at 4-335, having added 99 runs in 17 overs.

Pujara has now scored 717 runs at an average of 143 in his four matches for Sussex.

In Cardiff, Glamorgan wrapped up a six-wicket success over Leicestershire, but Marnus Labuschagne missed out for the second time in the match, hitting three boundaries before being dismissed for 13 to a slips catch after his first innings 17.

Elsewhere, Australian-raised Ian Holland picked up a crucial wicket to unlock Gloucestershire's middle order ahead of the new ball as Hampshire completed an 87-run win at the Ageas Bowl.

Holland sent Graeme van Buuren's middle stump cartwheeling in the 77th over before the second new ball brought three wickets within 10 overs to swing the balance in Hampshire's favour.

And Alastair Cook scored a century in both innings for the very first time as Essex and Yorkshire fought out a sluggish draw.

England's leading Test run-scorer achieved another milestone moment in his illustrious career on Sunday with an unbeaten 102 in the dying embers of the Chelmsford stalemate.

Any outside prospect of a positive result evaporated on the final morning as Yorkshire were dismissed for 465.

That left Cook, who had scored 107 first time around, under little pressure as he reached his landmark before the captains agreed on a draw.

Australians in 2022 County Championship

Essex: Mark Steketee

Glamorgan: Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser

Gloucestershire: Marcus Harris

Kent: Jackson Bird

Middlesex: Peter Handscomb

Northamptonshire: Matt Kelly

Nottinghamshire: James Pattinson

Somerset: Matt Renshaw, Peter Siddle

Warwickshire: Nathan McAndrew

Get the full rundown of Australians playing county cricket in 2022