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Men's Cricket

The story of our 2008 Pro40 campaign

24 Jun 2020

All week, we're taking our fans back to 2008 to relive our Pro40 title decider against Nottinghamshire, ahead of our #ReSwim this Sunday. Today, we're looking back at how we reached that winner-takes-all match at Trent Bridge...

Sussex began the tournament by facing Somerset at Arundel, and sealed an impressive win with two balls remaining. 

After the visitors were put into bat first by Chris Adams, Marcus Trescothik looked at his brilliant best, scoring a fluid 91 before eventually being dismissed by Michael Yardy. 

Robin Martin-Jenkins, James Kirtley, Chris Liddle were also amongst the wickets for Sussex as the Somerset batsmen toiled in the face of some impressive bowling, but Zander de Bruyn rallied to finish unbeaten on 70. 

Sussex required a daunting 243 to win, but always looked comfortable, despite Yardy being trapped LBW early on. Matt Prior was the man who led from the front, scoring a stunning 137 off just 123 balls. 

That amazing innings, which included 12 fours and three sixes, was well supported by Luke Wright's quickfire 40 and Adams' run-a-ball 36. 

Murray Goodwin was barely required to bat thanks to the impressive form of his colleagues up the order, but the Zimbabwean did hit the winning boundary to see his side home with two deliveries to spare. The perfect start.

Read a full scorecard here

Matt Prior

Matt Prior celebrates reaching his century vs. Somerset at Arundel

Sussex were on the road for their next match, but returned home from their long journey to Durham with another thrilling victory. 

Chris Adams once again won the toss, and under heavy skies, opted to bowl first at Chester-le-Street. 

When Michael Di Venuto was dismissed for just seven, that decision looked to be the correct one, but his fellow opener, Phil Mustard battled hard to score 82 in between two rain delays. 

The match was eventually shortened to 38 over per side, with Shivnarine Chanderpaul Durham's next top-scorer with 30, but Robin Martin-Jenkins, Ollie Rayner and Rory Hamilton-Brown all took two wickets each to leave Sussex requiring 222 to win. 

At the top of the order, Matt Prior again looked in illustrious form, scoring 79, while Chris Nash and Luke Wright both hit 27. 

However, when Prior was stumped by Mustard off the bowling of Graham Onions, and Nash and Wright fell in quick succession, the Sussex innings threatened to derail. 

Murray Goodwin was soon run out for 25, as were Carl Hopkinson (12) and Hamilton-Brown (21), but after their heroics with the ball, Martin-Jenkins and Raynor got their team over the line with the bat, winning the match off the final ball thank to the latter's solitary boundary. An amazing win!

Read the full scorecard here

Sussex suffered the only defeat of their campaign in the next match, as they faced Hampshire away. 

On another day interrupted by showers, Chris Adams and his side decided to bowl first against their local rivals, and struck early as Michael Lumb and Jimmy Adams were dismissed for one and 18 respectively.

Chris Benham was also out early on, caught by Chris Liddle off the bowling of Rory Hamilton-Brown, but Michael Carberry offered some resistance with a vital half-century, while Hampshire skipper, Dimitri Mascarenhas fell just two runs short of his fifty. 

In a match shortened to 31 overs per side, Sussex were set 190 to win, and got off to a disastrous start with Ben Brown out first ball and Chris Nash soon joining him. 

The visitors missed Matt Prior, who was the current top run-scorer in the competition, with Hamilton-Brown the side's top-scorer in the match with just 26. 

Dwayne Smith and Adams put together a 46-run partnership, but overall, it was a disappointing trip along the coast as Sussex were all out for 123 after 28 overs. 

Read a full scorecard here

Sussex's next two fixtures fell victim to the weather, but Chris Adams' men returned to winning ways on home soil with a comprehensive win against Lancashire. 

For the first time in that year's competition, Sussex lost the toss, and Lancashire opted to bat first, with Lou Vincent looking in ominous form. 

The New Zealander looked at his fluid best, and reached his fifty off 53 balls, but when he was trapped LBW by Michael Yardy, the visitors seemed to struggle - other than Paul Horton. 

While Horton battled to a half-century, wickets continued to fall around him at regular intervals, with Michael Yardy and Chris Nash taking three wickets each. 

In reply, with Sussex requiring 184, that same duo impressed with the bat. Yardy and Nash put on 59 for the first wicket, before the latter was eventually out for 26. 

Yardy however continued to play well and scored 48 before Murray Goodwin came to the crease and was the pick of the Sussex batsmen. 

The Zimbabwean showed his class to finish unbeaten on 58, off 82 balls with six fours, and help Sussex return to winning ways with eleven balls remaining. Back on track in impressive fashion. 

Read a full scorecard here

Hove

Pink skies over Hove during the Pro40 match vs. Lancashire

Sussex saved their most impressive performance of the Pro40 campaign for when it mattered most, beating Division One leaders at the time, Middlesex by five wickets. 

The Londoners decided to bat first after winning the toss, but lost Andrew Strauss for just four and Owais Shah for nine with Mohammad Sami and Luke Wright getting a wicket each.

Nevertheless, despite Middlesex's tricky start, future Sussex star, Ed Joyce did impress to score 64 - but he was eventually caught by Murray Goodwin off the bowling of James Kirtley.

The visiting middle order really struggled, with five out for just single figures, but captain, Shaun Udal did respond somewhat with 45 of 57 balls. 

Sussex then required 166 to win, and despite Michael Yardy's duck, always looked confident of chasing that target.

Matt Prior socred 38, but it was again Goodwin who stole the headline with yet another century - his unbeaten 54 coming from 72 deliveries.

Alongside Carl Hopkinson, the Zimbabwean saw his side home to condemn Middlesex to a second place finish, and set up a mouth-watering title decider against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge...

Read a full scorecard here.

Archive footage

 

 

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