Tour match drifts to a damp conclusion

Light drizzle finally ended a match which had long-since ceased to have any meaning at Hove, with rain and a lack of ambition leaving Zimbabwe short of match-practice ahead of Thursday's first Test at Lord's.

A draw was going to be the only outcome once the Zimbabweans, keen to give batting practice to their middle order, opted continued the innings they had begun three days earlier rather than look to negotiate innings forfeitures and set Sussex an agreed target.

Andy Blignaut, who spent half an hour scratching around for 2 yesterday afternoon, was not prepared to play such an unaccustomed innings again. Driving without due care and attention, he lost both middle and off stumps to Paul Hutchison's third ball of the day.

Sean Ervine played some handsome off-side drives, one of which, to the extra-cover boundary, brought up his fifty off 84 balls. Mluleki Nkala, like Blignaut, never came to terms with the conditions, and after scratching around painfully for almost half an hour edged to Richard Montgomerie in the slips. Finally Raymond Price chopped a ball from Hutchison on to his stumps, also without scoring, leaving Ervine unbeaten on 57. Hutchison finished with 4 for 94 off 22.5 overs, and Billy Taylor and Kevin Innes took two wickets each.

Sussex reached lunch untroubled, but the Zimbabweans struck with the second ball after the break, Montgomerie edging Heath Streak to second slip for 24. Shortly afterwards Murray Goodwin tried to steal a quick single off Streak, but the bowler followed through to pick up the ball and hurl down the stumps at the keeper's end with Mike Yardy (18) well short of his crease. Sussex were 63 for 2.

Murray Goodwin and Bas Zuiderent stood firm but found it difficult to pierce the well-set field. Gradually they settled in and Zuiderent hit Price for a beautifully timed straight six into the sightscreen. This prompted Goodwin to open up, smacking Ervine for 19 in an over, including three fours. He reached 49 when he played back to a ball pitched too far up and was bowled by Blignaut.

By this stage even the weather had lost interest and a light drizzle caused tea to be taken early. Play resumed after an hour's delay and there was just enough time for Zuiderent to cut Streak for a superb six, but after reaching exactly 50 Zuiderent fell to Ervine. Soon afterwards bad light finally ended the suffering.