Metro Bank One Day Cup: Competition preview with Paul Farbrace

With the Vitality Blast and latest rounds of the LV= Insurance County Championship concluded, focus now turns to the Metro Bank One Day Cup, a competition the Sussex Sharks thrived in last year.

We spoke to head coach, Paul Farbrace about his hopes for the competition, the return of Cheteshwar Pujara and the brand of cricket he wants to see from his team.

The 50-over white-ball competition provided the Sussex faithful with some unforgettable days home and away last season, with records tumbling left right and centre, and an explosive approach to the format that saw the Sharks top the group and reach the semi-finals.

Paul Farbrace thinks that with last year’s success, comes added expectation: “I think there is a bit of pressure on the team this year, which there probably hasn’t been in any other competition, simply because the team got to the semi-final last year, which I quite like the idea of.

“That for me is what I am looking forward to most, to see how they handle the expectation of winning games.”

He continues: “As far as I am concerned it is absolutely about winning and in terms of 50-over cricket, there will be members and spectators who having watched the team last year, will be expecting to see the team win plenty of games again and I think that is a fair expectation.”

As well as having the added expectation to get results, Farbrace is adamant that the team will only play the game on the front foot:

“I only know how to play one way in this format and that’s to be as positive, as attacking and as aggressive as you possibly can be.

“I am looking forward to it, I think it is a brilliant release of the grind of four-day cricket and I am excited to see how this group deals with that weight of expectation.”

Ali Orr was in scintillating form in last year's One Day Cup, scoring 526 runs at an average of 58.44 including the first-ever double-century in List A cricket for a Sussex player

Much has been made of the young, exciting talent the Sharks squad possesses, however Farbrace will also be welcoming two extremely experienced, high-level cricketers back into the frame for the tournament:

“We have pretty much got a full squad to pick from, with only George Garton away at The Hundred, Steven Finn and Ali Orr are close to returning to fitness and we of course have Pujara back with us.

“It’s no secret that we are lacking in some experience in this squad, so to have Finny and Puj coming back in will be invaluable to us.

“The most important any senior player can do for a team is to take their wickets and score their runs, having said that Finny has been outstanding for us off the field when he’s been injured.

“He is an excellent, intelligent, senior professional, who has been a role model for the bowlers in our group all year.

“But the thing he wants to do more than anything is to get back on the field helping the team, and he isn’t far away so that is great news for us.”

With much of the talk in cricket now focused on the progression of the red-ball and Test game, as well as the focus on franchise cricket around the world, the 50-over game can sometimes feel like a forgotten format, however Paul Farbrace still feels it has an important role to play for the teams and the members watching:

“I think there is scope to develop the 50-over game, but the great thing is it provides fantastic opportunities for professionals to continue playing throughout August and it also provides a chance for players to bridge the gap between red-ball and T20 cricket.

“Now, when you talk to a lot of County cricket members, they will tell you how much they love the 50-over cricket at their grounds, particularly as they get to watch many of the homegrown players they support.”

Opener Tom Haines will captain the side in the Metro Bank One Day Cup this year 

Finally, Paul Farbrace confirms that Tom Haines will captain the side in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and he is looking forward to assessing his leadership skills: “Tom Haines will captain the 50-over side in this competition, that was always the plan, even knowing Pujara was coming back.

“The captaincy is a really important decision for us to get right on the field going forward and this is an opportunity for us to assess how Tom is as a captain in this tournament. This was the plan all along and I am looking forward to watching the team being led by Hainsey.”

Free entry to Sussex Sharks vs Buckinghamshire National Cup Showcase

The Sharks play two warm-up 50-over matches over the coming days, starting with a trip to Oxfordshire followed by a home game against Buckinghamshire on Tuesday 1st August, with the action getting underway at 11am.

Entry to the game is free of charge, with all spectators seated in the Pavilion. Members can use their membership cards on the day and non-members can register here in advance to secure a free ticket.

For more information or to secure yours over the phone, call the Box Office on 01273 827100.

Four matches for the price of two!

To see the Sussex Sharks in One Day Cup action this August, get four matches for the price of two with our One Day Cup Pass!

You can purchase tickets to all four home games from as little as £10 for Juniors and £20 for adults! Click here to find out more, or here to get your pass now.