Iain O'Brien looking for a County

I've got to say I feel very sorry for Iain O'Brien. He gave up an international career to settle down and be a good husband to his wife Rosie while playing for Middlesex. She's English so you'd think that it would be easy for him to settle here as presumably they would be accepted in England or New Zealand. Or so you'd think....as Mark Davis mentioned, his recent appeal was rejected by the ECB which means that he can only find employment in the UK as an overseas player. And he's not exactly giving a flat no to questions about an international comeback.

Good luck to him.

Sussex/Middlesex swings in favour of Sussex

All the pressure is on poor old Malan as Middlesex try to get to the 243 that Sussex set them today. Panesar scored 46 not out - a career best - but it shouldn't have been that many if Owais Shah has caught him at 3rd slip, and that drop could be crucial in the final analysis.

It was really interesting watching the two captains. I only saw Strauss trying to get the final two wickets but it seemed like they had given up trying to get Hodd out (who got a hundred) as they gave him one the whole time, and yet they didn't put that much pressure on Panesar either. Looked a little strange to me, but O'Brien finally got Hodd out LBW to make the breakthrough - even then Panesar and Collymore still managed to put on 33 for the final wicket thanks to Shah's drop.

When Sussex fielded Collymore bowled two long hops to Strauss which got deposited to the cover boundary. Rather than ask his bowler to stop bowling there, Goodwin had a cover sweeper in the 4th over of the innings. I was sitting there thinking Collymore needed to come off or bowl better with a ring field when Scott Newman padded up to a straight one and Sussex were off the mark. My take out was that Sussex seem to rely on some wonder balls from their bowlers and accept that there may be some dross too - they try to limit the damage with a very in/out field. As long as it works then I'm all for it - they just need Malan out early tomorrow to put themselves in with a superb chance of another victory to keep their 100% season going.

O'Brien to settle down at Middlesex

Good luck to him for putting his family first, but how frustrating it must be for Ian O'Brien that as soon as he cements a place in the New Zealand Test team at the age of 33, he then has to retire from international cricket so he can settle down with his family. Apparently he's spent just 9 months of 2 and a half years of marriage with his wife, so you can understand his reasoning!

I can see why O'Brien might have appealed to Gus Fraser - a hard-working trier who'll give his all. And who could play as a UK player if he gets residency. Good luck to him.

O'Brien admits stupidity

You no doubt read about how Ian O'Brien got himself out stumped when Jesse Ryder was on 98 and closing in on a century. I always think it's interesting the way these things are reported - it's always with a huge focus on the guy who is looking to make a hundred. What about his team mates? After all, they're in the middle of a Test match and looking to get over the 300 mark - the last thing they want is their number 10 wandering down the pitch and getting stumped, whoever he is batting with for the 9th wicket and whatever score they're on. And that still stands even though everyone other than Vettori and Ryder failed themselves!

Anyway, these days some players have blogs themselves and Ian O'Brien has been the first to admit to his mistake on his blog. He describes it as "the dumbest thing I've done on a cricket field". Fortunately, Martin hung around for Ryder to get his hundred so all's well that ends well. Although for New Zealand, with India poised to go well past their first innings score, it may still end in a loss. And that has to be more important than a personal milestone - even if it is a first Test century.