Care to call this one, anybody?
Sussex 163 runs ahead going into the last day, with a turning wicket to bowl on in the last innings. Despite the parlous state of their second innings, the visitors must fancy their chances of a win tomorrow, especially with two England spinners in their side.
Having said that, Michael Yardy didn't bowl in the first innings, while psychologically, Monty Panesar will remember last winter when he was completely outbowled by Robin Peterson in a South African domestic match. There will be real pressure on Panesar to do well in the final innings and we'll only know tomorrow how he will react to that pressure.
Derbyshire did well today, first of all to pass the follow on mark with relative ease and then to get within 92 of Sussex, despite having to bat in the hardest conditions of the match yesterday. There were useful runs from both Robin Peterson and Tom Poynton, before Steffan "Dean" Jones added to his growing reputation as a batsman with an unbeaten and sensible 38.
No one could have predicted what happened in the last hour. When I left work tonight, Sussex were 40-1; when I got home they were 71-7. While Robin Peterson has produced some admirable spells this season, 4-10 in eleven overs, even on a track offering help, is superb work. That is 36 wickets in seven matches for the South African, an excellent return. His 230 runs at 25 have been equally valuable and that might be something we will need tomorrow.
I've not yet seen the forecast for tomorrow, but if the weather stays out of it there should be a great finish. We won't want to chase more than 200 and will want to dismiss danger man Arafat early tomorrow. We would then need a good start and everyone to chip in, but this game is winnable. For all Yardy is a fine T20 bowler, he's not a huge spinner of the ball and greater damage may come from Chris Nash, in support of Panesar.
Game on. A win resurrects our Championship campaign. A defeat... let's not think about that tonight. This one is there for the winning.
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