Keogh happy as Northants secure Sussex success

Chasing 218 to win, Keogh hit an unbeaten 60 to help the County ease to victory on Sunday lunchtime, with Saif Zaib hitting an unbeaten 47 from 43 balls.

It is Northants' third win of the summer, and second big victory over Sussex, and means they are up to third in Group 3 of the LV= Insurance County Championship.

And as happy as he was with the victory, Keogh admitted he felt Northants let Sussex off the hook in their first innings.

That was when the home side recovered from 67 for eight to post 175 all out, which allowed the match to stretch into the fourth day.

Resuming on 131 for two and needing 87 to win, the County did lose Luke Procter for 51, but Keogh and Zaib saw them to victory in just 65 minutes.

“It was a niggly little score to get in the fourth innings, with the ball spinning and men round the bat," said Keogh, who is has now scored 459 runs at an average of 51 this season.

"But we had two batsman established overnight, which helped.

"Then Zaib came in with his natural, free-flowing game and was so positive from ball one. He went bang, bang and really took the pressure off me.

"But we should have killed the game off in their first innings. We missed chances and there is no way they should have reached 175.”

Sussex skipper Ben Brown was left frustrated that his team didn't put more pressure on Northants in their second innings, but admitted the County were worthy winners.

“It was frustrating again," he said. "There were highs and lows, we played well in patches and we kept in the game.

"But in the end Northants were the better side and their experience showed over the four days."

“We struggled at the front part and the last part, losing eight wickets early in our first innings.

"And I also think their target of 218 should have been more challenging for them."

Match details

Northants beat Sussex by seven wickets

Sussex1st innings: 175 all out (Sanderson 5-45)

Northants 1st innings: 256 all out (Zaib 64, Berg 43no)

Sussex 2nd innings: 298 all out (Haines 103, Brown 95, Kerrigan 5-70, Taylor 3-43)

Northants second innings: 218-3 (Keogh 60no, Procter 51, Zaib 47no)