Vitality Blast match day interview: Will Beer

Sussex's leading T20 wicket-taker of all time, Will Beer is one of only two players still at Sussex who know what it’s like to win the T20 trophy for the county - and he’d love to be part of a repeat, he tells Steve Bone from Sussex Cricket's Official Newspaper Partner, Sussex Newspapers.

It might be 12 years since Sussex last lifted English cricket’s T20 trophy, but the memories are still vivid for Will Beer.

Rightly so, for in the final against Somerset under the Edgbaston lights back in August 2009 he took two for 29, dismissing dangerman James Hildreth and Craig Kieswetter as Justin Langer’s team fell 63 runs short in their pursuit of Sussex’s total of 172-7.

Will was a crucial part of the Sharks side that won the 2009 title

“There aren’t many days that beat winning a final and that was one of my career highlights that I still remember well now, even if it was quite a long time ago,” he reflects.

The names he reels off as he remembers the players who brought about that year’s success in the competition - which was only his second season in a Sussex career that is now in its 14th summer - will bring back fond memories for all Sharks supporters.

“If you’re talking about star turns for Sussex in the T20 down the years, a lot of them would have been in that side. Yasir Arafat was fantastic - he formed half of one of the great death bowling partnerships with James Kirtley. They got us out of a few holes!

“Then there was Dwayne Smith, a brilliant batsman but as a fielder, so far ahead in terms of athleticism of most players at that time. And don’t forget Murray Goodwin, an inspirational batter to be in the side with. He could adapt to any situation in a first innings or a chase. And we had a fella called Luke Wright who wasn’t too bad!”

Sussex came close to winning the Vitality Blast trophy nine years later, only to lose to Worcestershire in the final. And it was the quarter-final win away to Durham that Beer rates as one of his favourite T20 displays.

Will celebrates the key wicket of Ben Stokes in the 2018 quarter-final

“In the group games Rashid Khan and Danny Briggs had been playing. Rash is great, apart from when he’s keeping me on the bench! Then Rash went back and I was in for the game at Durham. Danny and I bowled really well together that day - I got Ben Stokes out just as he was getting going - and we won by five wickets.

“We got to the final against Worcestershire and should have won. They needed about 40 off four overs and maybe we counted our chickens. I just hope we can get to Finals Day and the final this year, and go one better.

“I think we have the potential to do really well. We have a lot of high-quality players from Wrighty and Salty at the top of the order right the way through. It’s a nice blend of youth and experience.

“Look at how many of our guys have been picked up for The Hundred - I think of all the counties, we have one of the highest numbers for that - and that tells you what talent we have. If we can put it all together, I don’t see why we can’t go all the way.

Once a teammate, James Kirtley is now Will Beer's coach

“We must try to win all our home games and do what we can on the road. We’ll enjoy it - I always say happiness brings success as much as success brings happiness.”

Of course, in charge of the Blast side this season as head coach is that man Kirtley - and Beer is excited by that.

“He as actually really involved but it will be interesting how he plays it this year. He is very, very good on analysis, he speaks well and he and Ian [Salisbury] are working really well together. It’s an exciting season at Hove and the Blast is a big part of that feeling, especially as we will have the fans back in the ground after a season without them, which certainly took the edge off things last year.”