Smile Group Travel Named Official Overseas Travel Partner of Sussex Cricket

Sussex Cricket is pleased to announce a new long-term partnership with Smile Group Travel, who will serve as the club’s Official Overseas Travel Partner through at least 2028.

As well as being appointed to provide overseas group travel to the Club, Smile Group Travel will also partner with the Sussex Cricket Foundation.

Smile Group Travel will sponsor all secondary school cricket competitions for boys and girls that take place across the County for the duration of the contract.

Community Director for the Sussex Cricket Foundation, Gary Wallis-Tayler, said: “I am delighted to be working in partnership with Graeme and the team from Smile Group Travel. 

“Their support will enable us to continue providing schools across the county with competitive playing opportunities, for boys & girls of all abilities.

“Smile Group Travel will also work with us to help provide affordable sport tours across the UK and other areas of the globe, for our school & club network.”

Speaking on the agreement, Graeme Waker, Director of Smile Group Travel, said: “Smile are ecstatic to be working as the travel partner with Sussex again.  We have a long history in working with the club in organising 1st XI and Academy tours and we look forward to helping the club with future overseas tours.  

“Smile are experts in organising tours for all sports across the world. Cricket is a particular area of expertise. As well as a long history working with professional teams we can design and deliver the highest quality of tours for any group to anywhere that cricket is played and we look forward to working with groups across Sussex.”

The new collaboration formally brings together two organisations who have a long-standing working relationship.

Sam Graham, Director of Growth at Sussex Cricket, added: “It’s great to once again be working with Smile Group Travel, an organisation who leads the way in the organisation and management of sports tours across the world. 

“Smile Group are an extremely well established and respected tour provider within the industry, and we look forward to working together in the coming years. 

“I would also thank them for the support they are providing our charitable arm, the Sussex Cricket Foundation.”

About Smile Group Travel

Founded as Smile Caribbean Group Travel in 2009 by Director Graeme Walker, who started looking after touring groups whilst living in Barbados. Smile Group Travel provide high quality sports tours to over 70 long haul, short haul and UK destinations. 

Their expertise means that they are able to identify the very best ground agents in every location they send tours to, providing customers with the best accommodation, excursions, sports fixtures and overall experience.

A half-century from Colin Ackermann helped Durham fight back on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Sussex after Jofra Archer picked up a wicket on his return to red ball cricket. 

James Coles picked up where he left off for Sussex in the morning and took his side to a competitive total of 361 all out, with him finishing unbeaten on 148.

Durham’s response against a Sussex bowling attack which included Archer, got off to a good start, making it to lunch without loss, but they lost skipper Alex Lees just after the break. 

Archer then came into the attack and struck during an exciting spell to leave Durham in a spot of bother in the afternoon. 

However, Durham bounced back in the evening through a partnership worth 76 between Ackermann and Graham Clark, but the loss of Ackermann with the last ball of the day gives Sussex the edge, with Durham on 249 for five and the deficit still 112.

Resuming on 322 for nine, unbeaten centurion Coles and number 11 Gurinder Sandhu were at the crease for Sussex. 

Coles continued to play nicely as he produced a delightful shot down the ground off the bowling of Bas de Leede. 

Coles then used his feet to launch one down the ground from George Drissell, but the spinner wrapped up the innings just three balls later, bowling Sandhu for eight, leaving Coles unbeaten on 148. 

Alex Lees and Emilio Gay were tasked with kicking off Durham’s response and they started in a serene manner. 

Archer then came into the attack and nearly had Gay with his first ball, but Lees was finding things a bit easier as he played a nice on-drive off the bowling of Sandhu which went to the boundary. 

Gay, who initially found life tough against Archer, managed to break the shackles with two boundaries, one through point region and the other off his legs. However, Sussex struck back after lunch as Lees went for 34 when he edged a delivery from Fynn Hudson-Prentice and John Simpson made no mistake behind the stumps. 

Hudson-Prentice continued to probe and offered few opportunities for run scoring as Will Rhodes and Gay consolidated after the wicket. 

Meanwhile, Archer gave Rhodes and Gay a working over with some short stuff, but the Durham batters weren’t falling for the short ball ploy. The England man changed plans and got that vital wicket as he trapped Gay in front for 37, prompting a big celebration from the 30-year-old. 

Archer’s second spell of six overs went for just eight runs, so Durham decided to take the game to Carson as Rhodes and Colin Ackermann picked up a couple of boundaries to relieve some pressure. 

Rhodes then played a glorious straight drive from a Robinson ball which went to the boundary, but he then chipped one straight to Daniel Hughes at cover for 24 to hand the economical Hudson-Prentice a second wicket of the day. 

That brought Durham’s OIlie Robinson to the crease before tea and he decided to take on Hudson-Prentice, picking up 11 runs from four balls, more than he’d gone for in his previous eight overs. 

Archer returned after tea, with Durham’s Robinson edging one which dropped just short of John Simpson, but he bounced back with two consecutive fours including a dab to third region. 

Ackermann then played a glorious cover drive off the bowling of Archer for four, but the fluent Robinson fell to Sandhu for 34 as he nicked one down the legside and Simpson produced an excellent diving catch to his left.

Graham Clark came to the crease and absorbed a bit of pressure before he started to put his foot to the accelerator with back-to-back pull shots from Hudson-Prentice going to the boundary and he followed that up with a cut shot for four. 

Ackermann joined Clark in the hunt for boundaries when he swept a Coles delivery to the rope and the number four passed fifty for the fourth time this season from 115 balls. 

Ackermann, who looked good throughout the innings, was then bowled by Sandhu for 65 with the final ball of the day, which leaves Durham five down while the deficit is still 112.

Alfie Pyle and Liam O'Brien Star for England 

Sussex's Alfie Pyle and Liam O'Brien starred for the England Mixed Disability Team as they kicked off a seven-match IT20 series against India with a 65-run win.

Player of the Match, Alfie Pyle, picked up 2-23, while Liam O'Brien's contribution of 64 runs in a partnership of 122 with skipper Callum Flynn, ensured England kicked off the series in style. 

Match Report

England Men's Mixed Disability team began their historic Vitality IT20 series against India with a convincing 65-run win at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.

Being put into bat by the visitors, England made a positive start through opener Josh Price, who hit 14 from 12 balls before falling to India's Vivek Kumar. 

A 122-run partnership between captain Callum Flynn and Liam O'Brien then put England in control. Flynn scored 70, while O'Brien added 68, with both batters benefiting from a few dropped chances early in their innings. 

Chris Edwards added a quick 9 off 4 balls to push England to 182 for 5 from their 20 overs.

India started their chase well, reaching 45 without loss in the first five overs. The breakthrough came when Edwards came armed with ball in hand, taking two wickets in his first over. England tightened their grip with three run-outs, applying pressure in the field.

India captain, Ravindra Sante, hit 14 from his first five balls but was caught in the 14th over for 24, leaving too much for his team to do as England's Alfie Pyle took 3 for 23 mopping up the tail. India fell short of the target by 65 runs.

The second match of the series will take place at Wormsley on Monday, 23 June at 5pm.

Mixed Disability Vitality IT20 Series

Saturday 21 June: 1st Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability won by 65 runs.

Monday 23 June: 2nd Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Wormsley, 5pm

Wednesday 25 June: 3rd Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Lord's, 3.30pm

Friday 27 June: 4th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Worcester, 12pm

Sunday 29 June: 5th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Worcester, 2.30pm

Tuesday 1 July: 6th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Bristol, 2pm

Thursday 3 July: 7th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Bristol, 6.30pm

It's a return to the red ball for Paul Farbrace's Sussex side for the next fortnight, starting with a lengthy voyage to the Seat Unique Riverside Stadium in Durham as they look to continue their fine form to life back in Division One.

It was roughly a month ago when Sussex last played in the competition, and what a fine match it was as Sussex cruised to a nine-wicket win over their neighbours. Henry Crocombe returned and was exceptional. John Simpson smashed a century. And Jack Carson took a fifer to wrap things up. 

After seven matches, Sussex sit in third position - 20 points off top spot.

The Opposition

But now the spotlight swivels onto our northernmost county: Durham. They, too, have enjoyed a promising start with two wins and three losses. Graham Clark and Alex Lees have been their finest batters of the campaign to date, with the pair racking up almost 1000 runs between them this season. The perenially potent Colin Ackermann, too, helps bolster both their batting and bowling attack.

But it's been Ben Raine and Matthew Potts that have taken the most scalps thus far, with the latter eying a route back into the England Test squad.

Squad

Paul Farbrace has selected a 14-player squad for the journey to Durham.

Gurinder Sandhu makes his debut for the county after agreeing terms in the winter, whilst Ollie Robinson returns to the squad.

Archer, Carson, Carter, Clark, Coles, Crocombe, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Ibrahim, Karvelas, Robinson, Sandhu, Simpson* (wk)

How to Watch

As always, you can watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Day Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. You can find information on how to register here.

The action gets underway tomorrow at 11am. 

Alexia Walker's Sharks return to action on Vitality Blast action on Sunday as they host Kent Women at the 1st Central County Ground.

In a close match - and one that demonstrated the side's vast improvement - the Sharks suffered a narrow defeat to Glamorgan in their previous Blast match by a mere 5 runs. That was the third time they've faced each other this season already, and every match has finished increasingly closer. 

It leaves the Sharks in third position in the Vitality Blast Women League Two South Group, having won one and lost two from their opening three matches.

The Opposition

Kent Women, too, make the short hop across the county border holding a similar record: played two, won one, lost one. Kent have already headed to Hove this season, where a brilliant Mollie Adams knock of 76 and a fine bowling displayed helped Sussex to a 42-run victory in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.

Kent's last match was an impressive win over Gloucestershire in Bristol last week, with Amy Gordon and Elsa Barnfather showing brilliance with the bat to help them to a hefty total. 

Squad

Alexia Walker has picked a 13-player squad for the match with Kent Women tomorrow:

Mollie Adams, Anna Buckle, Izzy Collis, Kali-Ann Docherty, Indigo Gentry, Chiara Green, Nancy Harman*, Tia Joseph, Rachel King, Anna Lewis, Eve O’Neill, Talitha Stanley, Jazz Westley

Ticket Information

It's set to be another scorcher at Hove tomorrow and with tickets starting from £10, it's the perfect excuse to spend the day in the sun supporting the Sharks. Click here to purchase your tickets today.

Entry is free for all Blast Pass holders, and Sixes is FREE.

There will also be a foundation women's softball tournament on the outfield prior to the match.

How to Watch

As always, you can watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Day Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. You can find information on how to register here.

The action gets underway tomorrow at 3pm. 

Sussex World Blog: Mollie Adams 

The Sussex Sharks Women return to T20 Blast action at The 1st Central County Ground this Sunday, welcoming Kent to Hove, and ahead of that crunch fixture, wicket-keeper batter Mollie Adams penned an exclusive blog for Sussex World.

Mollie discusses everything from playing for Sussex at Hove, what she loves about the city of Brighton and the positive changes happening in the world of Women's cricket.

Read the full blog by clicking here. 

We are currently experiencing issues with our email system, which unfortunately means we cannot respond to incoming emails.

We are working quickly to resolve the issue and will respond to any enquiries as soon as we can. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. 

If you have an urgent enquiry, please call 01273 827100.

The Sussex Cricket Team. 

Well, it's been a promising start to the 2025 Vitality Blast campaign for Paul Farbrace's Sharks who currently sit a mere two points adrift of South Group leaders Somerset after six matches.

A touch fortuitous with the weather against Essex last week, and signs of rustiness were swiftly dismissed a day later following an emphatic victory over Glamorgan. But what stands in the way of moving to the top is a Surrey outfit who are similarly heading in the right direction.

The Opposition 

You feel things are just starting to shift in the right direction for Surrey following a rickety start to this year's Blast campaign. Early defeats to Somerset and Hampshire have since been pushed to the back of the mind, with Surrey victorious in each of their previous three matches - including a comprehensive victory last night in Hampshire.

With the bat Jason Roy has started beautifully: 265 runs at an average of 44.16, whilst Laurie Evans has also found form with the willow in hand - particularly against Kent. And with the ball, Chris Jordan and Sam Curran have been most formidable - the pair taking 17 wickets between them. 

Previous Encounters

The Sharks have enjoyed recent success at Kia Oval, winning there in the previous two seasons. Surrey have, however, won on their two most recent trips to Hove in T20, too.

Over the years, the two sides have met on 41 occasions in T20 cricket. Surrey edge the head-to-head with 20 victories to Sussex's 15. Five have been no result, and one was tied. 

Team News

Farbrace has named a 13-player squad for tonight's match at the Kia Oval.

Squad: Carson, Clark, Coles, Crocombe, Currie, Foreman, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Lamb, McAndrew, Mills, Simpson* (wk), Thomas

Harrison Ward and Tom Alsop miss out through injury, whilst Ollie Robinson is rested. Fynn Hudson-Prentice has been recalled from his loan spell at Derbyshire, and is in today's squad.

Start Time

Today's match is part of a doubleheader, with Surrey Women facing Lancashire Women beforehand at 2pm. Our match will commence shortly after the game's conclusion, at 6.30pm.

How to Watch

You will be able to watch every ball, free of charge, of the Surrey clash via our Match Day Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. You can find information on how to register here.

Ticket Information

Tickets are still available for tonight's clash in the capital, and can be bought via Surrey's offical website.

Sussex Re-Sign T20 Blast Record Holder Danny Briggs 

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce the signing of Danny Briggs from Warwickshire on a three-year contract. Danny will join up with Sussex at the end of the 2025 season.

Briggs, who previously played for Sussex between 2016 and 2020, will be available for selection in the Vitality T20 Blast, whilst also becoming part of the coaching set up to work with the Club’s spinners.

One of the most accomplished white-ball bowlers in the country, Briggs holds the record as the leading wicket-taker in Vitality Blast history, with an impressive 246 wickets. 

He was also a key figure in Hampshire’s golden run to six consecutive Finals Days between 2010 and 2016. 

Briggs has continued to consistently amass wickets in the Blast for the Bears, claiming 29 scalps as they reached the quarter-finals last season.

Speaking on returning to Hove, Briggs, said: “I’m really looking forward to coming back to Sussex, it’s a really talented and exciting squad playing some great cricket. 

"Hopefully I can help contribute to plenty of wins and trophies along the way. Hove is a special ground and I can’t wait to return.”

Sussex’s Director of Cricket, Paul Farbrace, added: “I’m delighted that Danny has agreed to come back to Hove and help us to challenge to win the T20 Blast and also play a leading role in helping to develop our spin bowlers. 

“Danny is not only a top professional and has shown his skills on the field for a long period of time, but he is one of the best humans you will ever come across and will be a fantastic addition to our playing group and coaching group.”

Sussex Sharks completed a double over Glamorgan thanks to 6 for 21 from Nathan McAndrew to give the visitors a 27-run win at Sophia Gardens.

A strong all round performance kept Sussex occupying an all-important top spot in the South Group of the Vitality Blast at the halfway stage.

Harrison Ward set the tone for the innings for Sussex with 55 from 24 balls inside the powerplay despite appearing to pull a muscle in the innings which prevented him from fielding. All of Sussex’s top order contributed to send them to 199 for 7.

Nathan McAndrew backed up Sussex’s first innings for an all-round winning display returning 6 for 21 despite Dan Douthwaite’s quickfire 40 from three wickets inside six balls and Colin Ingram’s 21-ball 37 kept Glamorgan in the chase before they fell to 172 all out.

Sussex began strongly after opting to bat first with the sun still beating down at Sophia Gardens. Ward’s season best despite being hampered came through a liking to Timm van der Gugten, taking 22 from the third over.

Ward’s striking continued, particularly with destructive hitting straight and over deep-mid-wicket, reaching a half-century in just 20 balls, his knock been and gone inside the powerplay thanks to van der Gugten getting his revenge with a bouncer.

The soaring powerplay was helped to continue in the same vain with John Simpson finding his rhythm to a well-managed 41 from 26 balls from five off seven. Similarly Coles, who has helped the Sharks to three wins with two unbeaten half-century knocks already this season had a license to free himself as he did, taking Mason Crane for 19 in an over on his way to a useful cameo.

The Sussex scoring didn’t let up with 10-an-over the norm after the second over until the late fightback with three wickets in four balls courtesy of Glamorgan top wicket-taker Crane and Dan Douthwaite in the 18th and 19th over.

New overseas Imad Wasim impressed on debut for Glamorgan and was pick of the bowlers, being the most restrictive in the powerplay and brought a wicket at an important time while the other spinners also played key parts with wickets and economy between them.

In reply, Glamorgan struggled to string a partnership together when chasing their highest total so far this season.

The hosts didn’t find the same destructive powerplay prowess as the Sharks did, however a free-flowing Ben Kellaway added to the newfound form of Ingram made sure run-rate was never an issue.

Kellaway’s early retirement set a halt for Glamorgan when he reverse-swept a ball into his helmet after the youngster already damaging internationals Ollie Robinson and Tymal Mills early in his innings with stand-and-deliver style swats down the ground and exquisite cover-driving.

The two South Africans kept Glamorgan afloat until Kellaway’s return at the dismissal of Chris Cooke. Shortly after saw the two accelerators, Ingram and Kellaway, dismissed in the same over by McAndrew, conceding just three from the 12th over.

Douthwaite entered with the equation: 93 from 8.3 overs, immediately after the mini-collapse. The all-action all-rounder, together with Asa Tribe had already put on an unbeaten 64 partnership to see them home from an unlikely position in their T20 opener. Douthwaite’s five sixes in an 18-ball innings, left the equation at 41 to win from 3.5 overs.

A collapse came once more with Glamorgan going out swinging in an unlikely attempt to chase after Douthwaite’s dismissal, giving McAndrew three wickets in the 19th and eventual final over.

By Blake Bint, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay.