Read: Brad Currie raring to go for new season

Brad Currie cannot wait for the new season to start after spending a busy winter finding out about the demands of being a full-time cricketer. 

The 24-year-old Dorset left-arm seamer made a successful transition from National Counties to first-class cricket last July when he took six for 93 on his debut for Sussex in the LV= County Championship match against Middlesex at Lord’s. 

Currie went on to  play three more Championship and eight Royal London Cup matches which led to his initial short-term contract being extended to a one-year full-time deal.  

After a busy winter of training both indoors and outdoors – Sussex have erected a giant marquee over part of the square at Hove – Currie is now ready for the new season which, weather permitting, will begin with a home three-day friendly against Surrey on Monday. 

“We were actually supposed to start this week with a two-day match against Hampshire which was called off which is not surprising given the amount of rain we have had down here,” Currie said. 

“Hopefully we get a dry weekend and we can get some outdoor practice before we face Durham in the Championship the following week. 

“Last year at this stage I was still at university and I would have been fretting about finishing my dissertation, gearing up for the new season with Bournemouth University, Dorset and my club so it’s been completely different this year.  

“I played for Scotland in the European T10s in Spain in October and I probably had two weeks off before we were back in for indoor training with Sussex in November. 

“So there was a lot of travel up and down the M27 between November and January – I can pretty much tell you where every pebble lies on that stretch of motorway - and then it has ramped up a bit more over the past two months. 

“It is such a change from playing cricket as what is basically your hobby to cricket as your job. 

“From the outside people can have a perception that it’s quite easy. There are certain challenges it brings. It’s physically demanding, there’s a lot of mental pressure there, we have a new head coach in for us in Paul Farbrace and you want to impress him, you are in your first full year as a pro so you want to put your name out there and stake a claim. 

“There’s a first team shirt to grab. Ideally, if last season could have kept going it would have been brilliant for me. But it’s a new season, people are back fit, people want to throw their name in the hat as well so there are pressures that come from team selection. 

“It’s been pretty full on. My body has had a bit of a wake-up call getting into the daily routine of a professional athlete. 

“You make sure what you are putting into your body is the right stuff. I have certainly tried to watch my sleeping patterns and I am definitely going to bed a lot earlier now. I come home and I’m absolutely knackered. 

“But I have really enjoyed the lifestyle that being a professional cricketer brings. It’s been an interesting winter but one that I wouldn’t change. 

“I was speaking to a friend the other day. They work with their dad doing ridiculous hours and I said if a ten-year-old version of me could see where I am now there would be absolutely zero complaints.  I would be running round the streets with my shirt in my hands twirling it around. 

“It’s nice just to remind yourself of your story. We finished training yesterday and I was walking across the ground to my car and I was taking in the ground and the theatre. You can picture a full crowd and the game and taking all that in is very special.  

“We have had a lot of pre-season chats on all types of things like ethnic diversity and inclusion, Muslim culture, anti-corruption and anti-doping. We have spoken a lot about our culture, winning mentality, respect and things like that. All those little things keep you grounded and help you want to work hard every day.” 

Currie hopes that all the hard work and preparation will be rewarded with a season in which he would like to build on the excellent start he made to his Sussex career last summer and also make his T20 debut for the county in the Vitality Blast. 

“One thing I really want to check off this year, and I don’t know how realistic it is because we have such a good team, is that I’d like to make my debut in the Blast,” he said. 

“If I could do that I would have played in all three formats. Four or five years down the line getting a franchise gig would be awesome and that could start with a couple of good Blast games where you bowl a good death over that seals the game. 

“I appreciate that with Tymal Mills, George Garton, Ravi Bopara and Shadab Khan you do wonder where’s the space for a third left-armer – a young lad from Bournemouth? 

“It would also be amazing to see the club get promoted in the Championship. There is a red ball focus at the moment and we have spoken about that as being a real drive for the team. If I can contribute to that by taking wickets then, happy days. 

“In the Royal London I still have a bitter taste from losing last season’s semi-final against Lancashire. Talking to some of the other lads, we have progressed really well in the last couple of years in that tournament. 

“We have improved on what we have done the previous year. We have great strength in depth at the club, a lot of promising talent and we are very up for having another good run in the competition.” 

Although Currie’s focus is on establishing himself as a first-class cricketer he has not forgotten the part that Dorset played in helping him get there and he will be available to play National Counties cricket for his native county when his Sussex commitments permit. 

“I’m still available for Dorset. They have been very supportive of me which is great. They have said if you are available it would be great to have you, if you are busy, then we understand,” Currie said. 

“Dorset have done so well in T20 cricket recently but fallen at the last hurdle so it would be great if they could get through the group stage again. 

“If there’s an opportunity to play for Dorset than I will definitely be taking it.” 

 Article by Paul Bolton