Goodwin eases Sussex to safety

Murray Goodwin's hundred enabled Sussex to escape with a draw

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An unbeaten century from Murray Goodwin led Sussex to a draw on a low-key final day of their LV County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.

The visitors, who began the day on 36 for one, needed a further 318 to avoid an innings defeat. But they never looked in danger as first Michael Yardy, with 78, and then Goodwin, with 106 not out, frustrated the Somerset attack.

Goodwin, who battled away for 188 balls and hit 11 fours, shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 117 with skipper Chris Adams (39 not out) as Sussex closed on 272 for three when bad light ended play at 4.45pm.

Somerset's bowlers lacked any penetration on a flat last-day wicket and they had to be content with 12 points from a game they dominated, while Sussex took seven.

Carl Hopkinson helped Yardy calm any nerves at the start of the day before he fell with the total on 100, just as he had done in the first innings.

A loose shot outside off-stump saw him depart for 38 as wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter took his sixth catch of the match, off the bowling of Peter Trego.

It was 129 for two at lunch, with Yardy having reached his half-century off 86 balls which included six fours.

The left-hander looked solid until, with the score on 155, he edged a drive off Steffan Jones and was well held by Marcus Trescothick at second slip but by then Goodwin was well-set.

The Zimbabwean had a scare on 84 when he edged Zander de Bruyn between Kieswetter and first slip Justin Langer, but went on to reach his ton off 169 deliveries, with ten boundaries.

Adams proved a reliable partner and the pair comfortably repelled a Somerset attack in which only spinner Ian Blackwell was unable to make any inroads.

The new ball was Somerset's last hope and it was taken by Ben Phillips with the total on 258 for three but by then only 26 overs remained and the result was almost beyond doubt.

Adams allowed himself the extravagance of a pulled six in an otherwise disciplined innings, which featured four fours, before the light deteriorated.