Important information for Essex Eagles match on Friday 9th July

*For matchday updates, please follow @SussexCCC on Twitter. Wet weather protocol is available at the bottom of this page.*

Sussex Sharks welcome Essex Eagles to The 1st Central County Ground for their final home group game in this year's Vitality Blast on Friday 9th July (7pm).

If you’ve secured a ticket for the sold out match, you will find some important information about your visit below. This is to make sure everyone attending enjoys their visit as safely as possible, and to ensure we can continue welcoming supporters for the rest of the season, so please read carefully!

All tickets for the match are now sold. Please note there will be no gate sales or collections. 

Pre-match checklist

• Don’t attend if you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Check your email for your match day ticket(s). Tickets will be sent to your registered email address by at least 24 hours before the match. If you haven’t received them, please check spam filters before contacting the ticketing team.
• Once received, download your ticket(s) to your mobile or print them out, so they can be scanned when you arrive.
• Check which gate you need to use to enter the ground. There are three (Gate 1: Main, Gate 2: North East & Gate 3: South East) and you will only be able to use the one detailed on your ticket. The location of each gate is marked on the ground map available to download at the bottom of this page.
• Bring a face covering, as you’ll need to wear this whenever you are not in your designated seat.
• Bring a credit or debit card for any purchases. The ground will be cashless.
• Download the NHS COVID-19 app to your phone. You can use this to check-in at the ground for track and trace purposes.
• We’ve listed the golden rules below, but make sure you read our full spectator code of conduct so you know exactly what is required during your visit.

Golden rules once inside the ground

• Remain socially distanced from anyone not from your household or support bubble.
• Only sit in your designated seat and remain seated whenever possible. If you do leave your seat, exit the row with your back to other spectators.
• Wear a face covering whenever you are not in your seat.
• Sanitise your hands regularly. Hand sanitiser stations are available around the ground.
• Check capacity limits before accessing any of the ground’s indoor facilities (toilets, catering outlets, club shop etc.).
• Adhere to one-way systems within the ground and follow any instructions from the stewarding team.
• To aid with social distancing, the ground has been split into three zones. You must stay within the zone in which your seat is located, but don’t worry, our stewards will make sure you aren’t going anywhere you shouldn’t.
• As well as remaining within your designated zone, you must stay out of non-public parts of the ground, including players’ areas and the pitch, at all times. This includes following the conclusion of the match.

Facilities inside the ground

• Make sure you collect your free, souvenir brochure for the match, including an A3 poster, when you arrive at the game! These are available to collect, alongside free scorecards, at each entrance to the ground.
• Food and drink outlets will be situated in all three of the ground zones, serving a variety of hot food, snacks and alcoholic, soft and hot drinks. The location of these is marked on the ground map available to download at the bottom of this page.
• Male, female and accessible toilets are available in each of the ground’s three zones. The location of these is marked on the ground map available to download at the bottom of this page.
• We can’t provide our usual interval entertainment yet, but our mascots Sid & Sandy will be making their way around the ground and there will be content on the big screens throughout the evening. Sadly, the usual post-match player signing session is also not yet possible.
• The main club shop will be open from gates opening until the first ball is bowled in the second innings. Capacity is limited to four spectators at a time and access will only be available to supporters seated in the same zone as the shop, but there will also be a pop-up club shop offering at the North End of the ground, for anyone with a ticket in that zone. The online club shop is open to everyone… check out our fantastic playing shirt offer!

In the event of wet weather...

• Please come prepared for all weather conditions.
• Opened umbrellas will be permitted during any interruptions to play.
• As per the terms and conditions of your ticket, no readmission will be possible if you leave the ground.
• Although it may be tempting to seek shelter if it rains, to maintain social distancing you must stay in your seat unless using the toilets, purchasing food and drink or visiting club shop facilities (see above for full details).
• The fantastic groundstaff at The 1st Central County Ground will do everything they can to allow the teams to complete the fixture and the umpires will wait as long as possible to try and faciliate a completed match (minimum five overs per side). Any decision to delay or abandon a match - and the timing of those decisions - is entirely in the hands of the match officials. We will keep you updated with any news on the @SussexCCC Twitter account and on the Match Centre on the Sussex Cricket website.
• In the event that the match is curtailed or abandoned, our refund policy is available here.