Sussex Seniors in Malta: Tour Report

Sussex Seniors in Malta: Tour Report

At the end of March, a Sussex Seniors touring party travelled to Malta for the third consecutive year to compete in the Malta Seniors Cricket Festival 2026 at the Marsa Sports Club. With the challenge of defending their title, the squad arrived full of enthusiasm and anticipation, eager to enjoy the opportunity of early-season cricket in the sun.

With a different lineup of players, as some of last year’s triumphant squad were not available, debutant players were enrolled to play their part making up a squad of 14.

This season saw the number of teams raised to 9 and divided into 3 groups with Sussex participating in Group B, the Ronnie Sacco Group along with one of two Essex teams and Kent. After the group round robins, the teams topping their group would progress with the other table toppers to the Champions Pool and then play each other for the overall title.

On Friday we played our first group game against Kent, and with new captain Mick Brazil winning the toss, we chose to bat in a game reduced to 27 overs a side due to unseasonal wet weather on the island. Runs proved hard to come by with opener Ian Rippengal retiring on 35 from his allotted 50 balls. Others were finding the going tough as well until tour organiser Chris Aeschlimann came to the crease at number 7 with 106 runs on the board and struct a quick 42 off only 18 balls with 4 sixes and with Roger Smith hitting the last ball for a six, we closed on a slightly disappointing 161.

Kent opener Rajan Sharma proved very difficult to bowl at as he hit the ball to all parts of the ground and was particularly severe on anything short as he rattled up an unbeaten 89 from his 50 balls. He would later score a century and end up Player of the Tournament. And with an opening partnership of 112 with Peter Newman, the hope was for other wickets to follow, but it never happened as Kent made the target with 3 overs to spare despite a good economic spell by Bryan Cox.

In the first game of the group on Wednesday, Essex beat Kent, so we needed a good win and hope to top the group.

Again, Mick won the toss, but this time chose to field with the object of increasing our net run rate to a level to head the group. Good all-round bowling and fielding saw Essex struggle to 119-9 from their full 30 overs. Kevin Allsobrook and Paddy Smith each took two wickets as the first objective was achieved.

Knowing the number of overs to make the desired run rate increase played into our hands as Player of the Match, and Sussex Player of the Tournament, Martin Sims, smashed a characteristic 74 from only 34 balls as the target was reached in 13.1 overs. Job done, so we joined the other group winners the Canada Masters and the Australian Kangaroos in the Champions Pool.

On Monday, Sussex were up first in the group against the Canada Masters who won the toss and chose to bowl in the windy, chilly and damp conditions. This proved to be effective as they bowled very straight resulting in 8 bowled and 2 LBW dismissals as we were all out for 130 in 26 overs with only Martin Sims making more than a run-a-ball score.

This target proved to be wholly insufficient as their strong batting lineup knocked off the runs in just under 20 overs.

Next opponents, on Wednesday, were the Australian Kangaroos who were a much-improved team from the one last year and with the weather again being unseasonal they won the toss and elected to field. Opener Ian Rippengal made 51 before once again retiring, only to return at the end for a few balls. Two unfortunate run outs occurred before Terry Beeks came to the wicket and made a run-a-ball 25 hitting the point boundary well. Batting at number 6, last years Sussex Player of the Tournament, Alan Wyatt, at last found some form with a well made 41 including a monster six down the ground before becoming the third run out of the innings. This slowed the run rate as Peter Verechia then took 5-34 including twice being on a hat-trick as Sussex closed on 187.

As they proved in their other games, the Australians have a decent batting lineup. With 4 players making 30s the rain eventually became too hard, and the game was abandoned after 23 overs with Australia on 158-3 and well ahead of the DLS calculation.

The final match the next day between Australia and Canada was abandoned without a ball being bowled and the title went to Canada on a superior run rate and Sussex ending up in bronze medal place.

Upon returning to the UK, attention quickly turns to the start of the domestic season, with the Sussex Seniors moving straight into a full programme of fixtures. A series of friendly matches will provide valuable preparation ahead of the competitive action in both the 50+ County Championship and the Seniors County Cricket Championship.

You can follow the progress of the Sussex Seniors throughout the season via the Sussex Seniors Play-Cricket site, which features up-to-date fixtures, results, scorecards and statistics.