Sussex fume as Klinger stands his ground

Gloucestershire 332 for 7 (Klinger 106*, Mustard 71, Miles 56, Magoffin 4-62) vs Sussex Scorecard

When Michael Klinger punched Steve Magoffin to backward point, and the Sussex debutant Christian Davis dived forward, appearing to take a very fine low catch, he had 29. But as the fielders celebrated a wicket that would have left Gloucestershire reeling at 92 for five, Klinger was not for moving. He chose to leave the umpires to decide if the ball had carried and, after a lengthy conference, they decided he should stay. Sussex’s fielders initially appeared dumbfounded, but their lips loosened just in time for the exchange of some terse words.

Klinger, almost inevitably, was still there at the close with a century to his name, with his team in the ascendancy after a disastrous start on a pitch he had elected to bat first on. On fine margins do such games turn.

Sussex were within their rights to grumble (just as Klinger had been within his to stand his ground), but by day’s end they had let their outstanding start go to waste. Steve Magoffin, trotting in from the Sea End, had looked the force of old, picking up the Gloucestershire top three in his first six overs, and Jofra Archer had forced Hamish Marshall to edge to Chris Jordan, who took a fine catch at slip; Gloucestershire were ruinously placed at 34 for four.

Magoffin took upwards of 28% of Sussex’s wickets during his first four years at the club, but his influence – on pitches often unkind to his art – has appeared to slightly wane this season, even if he still went into this game with his 25 wickets coming at 29. He was immediately into his work here, however, with his line, length and lots of lift making life uncomfortable for Gloucestershire. Will Tavare …

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