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Sussex star 'not too thrilled' about dropped catch which was allowed to stand

Luke Procter collides with a team-mate and drops the ball - but the catch stood <i>(Image: Northamptonshire CCC/YouTube)</i>
Luke Procter collides with a team-mate and drops the ball - but the catch stood (Image: Northamptonshire CCC/YouTube)

Nathan McAndrew said he was “not too thrilled” about the controversial catch which ended his innings for Sussex.

But he hopes to help bowl them to victory in what looks an evenly poised Championship contest at Northants.

The Aussie lobbed a return catch towards bowler Luke Procter, who fleetingly had the ball in his grasp but collided with a team-mate and let it drop to the ground.

Umpires ruled Procter had both the ball and himself under control long enough for the catch to stand.

Sussex were bowled out for 237 in their second innings, setting Northants a victory target of 284.

The hosts were 137-4 at close of play on the second day.

Asked about he dismissal, McAndrew said: “I wasn’t too thrilled about it, to be honest.

“I was thinking back to my concussion last year (in the Vitality Blast), when I caught Tom Kohler-Cadmore and it was pretty clear I’d caught it, then I had my head taken off by Shadab Khan and obviously dropped it.

“I felt like it was the same situation, to be honest – personally I didn’t feel the catch was completed.

“No issues with Procter, though – the umpire’s deemed it was out, so you’ve got to take your medicine.”

McAndrew has two wickets so far in Northamptonshire’s second innings.

He said: “We probably let our foot off the gas a little bit with the bat.

“We were in a position there to get a lead towards 300 and beyond.

“We’ve still set them a good total, no doubt about that but they batted well and we didn’t bowl particularly well to start.

“We’ve clawed it back nicely and took a couple of late wickets, which is important, but the game’s in the balance.

“There’s still plenty in the wicket so we know if we get the ball in the right area and put the pressure on, we’ll have the chance to take six more out there.

“I think it’s just about building pressure. We saw in that last hour when we smashed away at the top of off stump, it was hard for them to score.

“If we can control our line and length, not give them any easy runs, I think it’ll be a tough chase for them.”