Weekly briefing: May 8th

At the end of another busy seven days at Sussex Cricket, catch up with all the news you might have missed...

Ben Gibson discusses an extraordinary first few weeks as head groundsperson

When he took over as Head Groundsperson at Sussex in the first week in March, Ben Gibson’s priority was to try and get a wicket ready for the first pre-season friendly on March 23.

Since then, however, things have changed and the world is a very different place. Read more about Ben's start as our Head Groundsperson here.

Khan, Ahmed, Goodwin and Magoffin shortlisted as Sussex's greatest ever overseas

It's been over half a century since overseas players were first allowed to play in the England, and in that time, Sussex have boasted a selection of brilliant stars. 

To find Sussex's greatest ever overseas player, BBC Sport asked Adrian Harms to compile a shortlist of the four best, and he decided on Khan, Ahmed, Goodwin and Steve Magoffin. 

Read more here. 

Sporting Memories continues to adapt with sessions now held on Zoom

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and Sussex Cricket Foundation's popular Sporting Memories sessions being put on hold, the charity's staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to keep regular participants involved and engaged. 

As well as organisers sending weekly packs to those who regularly attend the sessions in Hove, Bexhill, Polegate, Worthing and Crawley, and volunteers making regular phone calls to participants in need of a chat or some company, Sporting Memories sessions across the county are now being held on Zoom. 

Find out more here.

Luke Wells on being back to his best, the 2020 season and pub quizzes with the Sussex squad

The irony is not lost on Luke Wells when it’s suggested that he’s one of the lucky cricketers who have actually played this year.

He shone over the winter in Australia, returned back to England full of confidence in March and then flew to South Africa for pre-season with his Sussex teammates, looking to kick on. 

His hopes for the 2020 campaign have been put on hold, however. Read the interview here. 

Sussex Trumps brought to life!

After the release of our print & play Sussex Trumps proved so popular, we decided to bring the game to life and create our own purchasable pack of Sussex Trumps - inspired by the famous Top Trumps!

This limited edition pack can be purchased HERE for just £10, and with no cricket for a while, what better way to pass the time at home and avoid yet another game of the increasingly less enjoyable Monopoly. 

Find out more about Sussex Trumps here.

A Prince in his prime: Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji - cricket's first global superstar

Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji was cricket’s first global superstar. During cricket’s Golden Age at the end of the 19th century ‘Ranji’ was arguably the most talented and certainly the most exotic cricketer in a period of brilliantly accomplished and flamboyant players.

Read Bruce Talbot's profile of the the Sussex legend, and look back on a simply stunning career, click here.