Sussex win national Visually Impaired T20 trophy

The Sussex Sharks Visually Impaired team lifted the David Townley Memorial Trophy CC after an incredible four-wicket win over London Metro at Wolverhampton on Sunday.

The Sharks were at their first T20 finals day for three years after a comfortable win over Surrey in the qualifying round.

Finals day saw the Sharks join a very strong line up of Yorkshire, 2019 Knockout Cup winners London Metro and 2019 National League winners Northants Steelbacks.

The Sharks went into the competition on a five-year streak of claiming silverware but a  disappointing league campaign followed by a narrow loss to London Metro in the Knockout Cup semi-final saw their hopes of a title this year hanging by a thread.

They faced Northants in the semi-final and could not have got off to a worse start ending the first over on 1 for 2, losing both openers for ducks. The recovery was led by England wicketkeeper and Sussex captain Dan Field (87) and Clarke Reynolds (47) who set the platform for a respectable score of 152 for 7 after 20 overs.

Northants started briskly scoring regular boundaries were ahead of the rate until an incredible catch turned the game in the Sharks’ favour, Clark Reynolds dismissing Blind Cricketer of the Year, David Howells with a full length dive, a double juggle before palming the ball to Dan Field who completed the catch. Tight bowling and fielding saw the pressure build and as the rate climbed Northants wilted under the pressure, losing six wickets to run outs as they fell 28 runs short of their target. 

London Metro had cruised to a very comfortable 10-wicket win over Yorkshire in their semi-final and they batted first in the final.

England Captain Matt Dean (156*) delivered a batting masterclass with totally blind batsman Andy Law (42*) offering support at a run-a -ball. The London Metro innings ended at 261 for 1and this looked too steep a mountain for the Sharks to climb.

Dan Field had other ideas, however, and records tumbled as he produced one of the most incredible innings ever seen in the history of blind cricket. Seventeen fours and a dozen sixes saw Dan flay the Metro attack to all parts. The role of the other Sharks batsmen simply became  ‘get Dan back on strike’. But that meant wickets fell regularly as the scamper to turn twos into threes meant batsmen were run out. The plan worked nonetheless and it was only fitting that Field was on strike as a wide took the sharks over the line. He finished with 220 not out off 77 balls to take Sussex’s run of silverware into a sixth successive season.

The Sussex Sharks VI team is always looking for new players and havetraining sessions booked at the indoor school in November and December. If you or anyone you know has a visual impairment of any kind and would like to give the game a go please contact aroop.tanna@sussexcricket.co.uk