Daniel Hughes made it consecutive centuries for Sussex to keep them in their clash with Somerset
New South Wales veteran Daniel Hughes has continued his rich form in England, compiling centuries in back-to-back County Championship matches to lead Sussex’s fight against Somerset in their first division clash at Taunton.
But the on-song 37-year-old left-hander was still left angry with himself after getting out for 107 with Sussex likely to face a last-day battle to avoid an innings defeat.
Dan Hughes’ fantastic knock comes to an end as he’s caught behind for 107.
Enjoy the highlights of his stylish knock. 📺 pic.twitter.com/lufhjY7L6K
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 17, 2026
Hughes, who’d made 136 in the southern county’s previous match against Leicestershire, this time led a rearguard action on Sunday after Somerset had amassed 8(dec)-526 over two days.
He had a scare on 99 when Tom Lammonby had a big shout for lbw, but he then scampered the single to get to three figures again off 133 balls, receiving the bonus of four overthrows.
He’d set himself for a long haul with Sussex going well on 3-204 but then blamed himself for what he called a “shit shot”, edging to first slip, which he felt triggered a mini-collapse with his side going on to end the day on 8-236.
“We’ve got to turn up tomorrow and show a bit of steel and a bit of fight,” declared Hughes, who’ll have a big task second time around.
“Absolutely I’m cross with myself – I blame that little collapse on myself. The satisfaction of scoring runs in this game never lasts for very long.”
Liam Patterson-White and Fergus O’Neill gave Nottinghamshire a chance to go in search of a final-day win at Utilita Bowl.
Nottinghamshire continue to look to their Australian allrounder Fergus O’Neill, who took two more wickets in Hampshire’s second innings to go with his first-innings five-for to give the county champions the edge against Hampshire at Southampton.
O’Neill, who’d earlier also battled for more than an hour to make 13 as Notts eked out a 15-run first-innings lead, took 2-19 off 11 probing overs to help reduce the home side to 4-82.
But another in-form Aussie, Jake Lehmann, battled to 30 not out by stumps after more than an hour at the crease, presents a real obstacle to Notts’ last day victory push.
There’s also an exciting finish in prospect at Bristol, where a real captain’s knock from former Test batter Cameron Bancroft, who grafted for four hours for his 82 out of Gloucestershire’s 221, gave his side a chance in their second division clash with Northamptonshire.
Harry Conway took 3-42 to spearhead Northants’ attack, but his fellow Aussie quick Gabe Bell then struck back for Gloucester, taking 2-42 as the Darren Lehmann-coached visitors, chasing 249 for victory, battled to 5-144 at the close.
Still needing another 105 on Monday, much will depend on South Australian skipper Nathan McSweeney, who’s still going strong as Northants’ top scorer on 41no, having already been at the crease for two-and-a-half hours.
Meanwhile, Test opener Jake Weatherald’s six-game stint with Leicestershire came to a premature end over the weekend as he was subbed out of their heavy loss to Essex due to a badly bruised elbow.
Weatherald, who made 61 on the opening day at Chelmsford, copped the painful blow when he was dismissed by a delivery from Wiaan Mulder rebounded off his left elbow and onto the stumps.
The left-hander, who will now turn his attention to August’s two-Test series against Bangladesh, was sent for scans before taking no further part in the match as Leicester crashed to 60 all out in the second innings to lose by seven wickets.
2026 County Championship division one standings
Australians in the 2026 County Championship
Derbyshire: Caleb Jewell
Glamorgan: Ryan Hadley (first six matches), Nathan McAndrew (June-July)
Gloucestershire: Cameron Bancroft, Gabe Bell (first six matches), Liam Scott (June)
Hampshire: Jake Lehmann
Lancashire: Marcus Harris, Chris Green
Leicestershire: Jake Weatherald
Northamptonshire: Nathan McSweeney, Harry Conway (first two months only)
Nottinghamshire: Fergus O’Neill (April-June only)
Surrey: Sean Abbott (first half of season)
Sussex: Daniel Hughes
Warwickshire: Beau Webster (first half of season)
Yorkshire: Sam Whiteman, Jhye Richardson (until mid-May)
