Pakistan’s Rizwan, India’s Pujara share Sussex century stand
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India's Cheteshwar Pujara scored his second double hundred in three matches on Saturday as he shared a century stand with Pakistan's class batter Mohammad Rizwan for English county Sussex.
Pujara made 203 -- his third century in three matches for Sussex -- with wicketkeeper Rizwan marking his home debut for the south coast club with 79.
A fantastic partnership of 154 comes to an end, but great batting today from these two. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/5ZPfX6bf7I
— (C) Sussex Cricket 🏆 (@SussexCCC) April 30, 2022
The pair put on 154 for the sixth wicket at Hove as Sussex piled up an imposing 538 in reply to Durham's first innings 223 in the Second Division of English cricket's red-ball County Championship.
Durham, however, ended the third day of four with hopes of holding out for a draw at 169 for none in their second innings.
Close of play on day three. 🏏 The visitors trail by 146 runs with 10 wickets remaining heading into the final day.
— (C) Sussex Cricket 🏆 (@SussexCCC) April 30, 2022
[169-0] #GOSBTS pic.twitter.com/DPq8WWPaBR
That Pujara and Rizwan are both at Sussex is a rare example of Indian and Pakistani cricketers turning out for the same team.
India cut bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan after attacks in Mumbai in 2008 that authorities blamed on Pakistani militants and the teams now only play each other in multi-nation events.
The South Asian rivals have not faced each other in a bilateral series since Pakistan toured India in 2012/13 for a set of one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches during a brief thaw in relations.
Pakistan's stars also do not play in the Indian Premier League, the world's most high-profile Twenty20 competition, which is currently taking place in India.
1⃣5⃣0⃣ 👏@cheteshwar1 = runs. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7MB1TMbZGB
— (C) Sussex Cricket 🏆 (@SussexCCC) April 30, 2022
In the First Division, uncapped Hampshire batsman Nick Gubbins did his hopes of making an England debut no harm by scoring his second century of the match against a Lancashire attack led by James Anderson.
The left-hander followed up his 101 not out in the first innings with 130 to leave Hampshire well-placed at the Ageas Bowl, for all that Anderson, England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker was bowling for Lancashire.
Rizwan x Pujara pre-match prep. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/g3vVwefsQf
— (C) Sussex Cricket 🏆 (@SussexCCC) April 30, 2022
Hampshire were eventually dismissed for 344 and at stumps Lancashire were nine for none, chasing a target of 351 for victory.
Gubbins, 28, made his name with 1,409 runs, including four hundreds, as Middlesex won the First Division title in 2016 only for the runs to dry up the following season.
But a move south to Hampshire last year appears to have rejuvenated Gubbins and he is giving an England set-up now headed up by managing director Rob Key and new Test captain Ben Stokes a remainder of his talent.