Cricket: Bicknells enjoy family affair: Round-up

THE Bicknells continued to feature strongly in the news from Hove as suffering Sussex saw Surrey build a first-innings lead of 179, writes Barrie Fairall. On Thursday, Martin Bicknell took six wickets and yesterday it was the turn of brother Darren to register one of two centuries.

The elder Bicknell was unbeaten on 154 as Surrey reached 392 for 6 after he and his captain, Alec Stewart, the day's other century-maker, enjoyed a third-wicket stand of 240.

It was Bicknell's 17th century for Surrey and in this one he faced 232 balls and struck 16 fours. Stewart followed shortly before tea, his hundred occupying 165 deliveries and containing 14 fours and a six.

John Carr, meanwhile, took his responsibilties as acting captain seriously at Lord's, where he registered an unbeaten century in helping Middlesex to a slender lead over Kent.

On a pitch lacking pace and bounce, runs were never easy to come by against an accurate Kent attack led by Alan Igglesden. He finished with figures of 4 for 65 but Martin McCague, tipped to have an England Test future, failed to take a wicket.