Vitality Blast matchday interview: Delray Rawlins

In our final Vitalty Blast matchday interview, Sam Cox from from Sussex Cricket's Official Newspaper Partner, Sussex Newspapers, speaks to Delray Rawlins.

Having fans back in grounds this summer could be the key to success for Sussex in the upcoming Vitality T20 Blast, Delray Rawlins believes.

“Everyone’s pretty excited about the fans returning,” he says. “We get good crowds for T20s at home, but for anywhere around the country to have fans back it creates more buzz around the fixtures and adds a bit more excitement. 

“Hopefully, the fans can help us bring some success to them, and I’m hopeful for personal and team success.” 

Delray is grateful for the return of fans to The 1st Central County Ground

Rawlins believes the strength in depth within the Sharks’ squad gives them a strong chance of lifting silverware at the end of the campaign. 

“If you look at the depth that we have, there are some very good international and overseas players mixed with young players like myself. I’ve played a couple of years now and been learning a lot and we also have players like Wrighty, Salty and these boys who have played franchise cricket all over the world and getting it done around the world.

Phil Salt & Luke Wright are two of the players who bring a wealth of invaluable experience to the Sharks team 

“It’s exciting because I think we have a chance and hopefully mother cricket repays, and we can get a trophy at the end of the season.”

Perhaps one of Rawlins’s finest performances for Sussex came against Gloucestershire in the 2019 Blast when his back-to-back boundaries secured victory away from home, and the 23-year-old admits that sometimes he is just happy for the opportunity to bat in the competition.

“When I came to bat, the match was sort of leaning back to Gloucester and I hadn’t batted that much in the tournament so far as our top order were knocking off runs quite easily. Overall, it was nice to just get some time in the middle and get the win over the line for the boys topped it off. I just tried to stick to what I knew and fortunately, it came off that day.” 

Despite his youth, Rawlins already has a plethora of experience at international level - he made his Bermuda debut aged just 15 years old.

“It was quite a nice experience,” he says. “When I was 15, I felt a little bit out of place, to be honest, but it was nice to get the experience quite young and I think learning some of the lessons that I did being in and around the team at that age definitely helped me coming into count cricket a little bit and white-ball cricket and obviously playing for Bermuda still in the senior team.” 

Delary in action during a pre-season match in 2017. He made his Vitality Blast debut the folloing summer.

Despite being touted for a long career with Sussex, Rawlins is ensuring he keeps his focus on the next 12 months.

“Hopefully, we can gain success here at Sussex, whether that be in the T20 or getting in one of the top groups in the four-day competition,” he adds. “Hopefully, we can kick on and go all the way. I just want to play as good as cricket as I can and help my team to win.”