Sussex Cricket Launches Range of Pride-Inspired Kit

Sussex Cricket is proud to launch a special range of Pride-inspired kit, which is now available for Members and fans to order direct from the official online Club Shop.

Supplied by KitKing, the new range includes Nike training tops for both men and women, as well as a special edition of this year’s official One Day Cup shirt. 

The launch of the new apparel follows the recent announcement that the One Day Cup match between Sussex Sharks and Leicestershire Foxes on Sunday 4th August has been selected as the Club’s first-ever Pride Match and will be the first-ever cricket event officially endorsed by Brighton & Hove Pride. 

Click here to order yours today!

Notts Outlaws vs Sussex Sharks: Match Report

Ben Slater and Haseeb Hameed made unbeaten centuries as Nottinghamshire Outlaws bounced back from defeat at Leicester in their opening match with a eight-wicket victory over Sussex Sharks in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup match at the picturesque home of Welbeck Cricket Club in the north of the county.

Opener Slater, who averages more than 53 in the List A format, again demonstrated his penchant for 50-over cricket by scoring 107 with Outlaws skipper Hameed making 101 not out as they shared a county List A third-wicket record partnership of 209 to inflict a heavy opening-match defeat on their Group B opponents.

Sussex were bowled out in the 48th over for 216 despite Fynn Hudson-Prentice’s 90 from 109 balls. The all-rounder hit nine fours and a six but found himself ploughing almost a lone furrow in an under-par performance by his side, who have up to now enjoyed a successful season, booking a home quarter-final in the Vitality Blast and building a healthy lead in Division Two of the Vitality County Championship.

Luke Fletcher (three for 35) and Toby Pettman (three for 44) were the most successful Outlaws seamers, although Brett Hutton, who took one for 41 bowling his 10 overs in a single spell, made a strong comeback after three months out with an Achilles injury. Left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White (two for 35) also impressed.

The Outlaws stuttered at the start of their chase, finding themselves eight for two after losing Freddie McCann for two and Jack Haynes without scoring, but Sussex were unable to make any further inroads as their opponents cruised home with 50 balls to spare. 

The 19-year-old McCann, in his second List A appearance following his debut at Leicester on Wednesday, spooned a catch to mid-on off Ari Karvelas, while Haynes registered his second consecutive duck with a loose shot that had him caught behind, after which Slater was fortunate with a top-edge off Karvelas that flashed just out of the wicketkeeper’s reach.

But with a required rate of only 4.34 runs per over and a quick outfield, Slater and Hameed did not need to take risks and were able to comfortably pace their innings once the newness of the balls had worn off, moving the total to 48 for two from 10 overs, 93 for two from 20, and 140 for two from 30.

Slater found the gaps regularly enough to pass fifty for the 18th time in this format from 54 balls with eight boundaries, Hameed reaching his from 69 balls with his third four, a return to form he will have enjoyed after enduring a lean time in 2023, if not the shot that took him there, a streaky edge off the leg-spin of Archie Lenham.

The left-handed Slater was seldom troubled, reaching his seventh List A hundred when he pulled Karvelas for his 13th boundary as the Outlaws closed in on their target, Hameed hitting the same bowler for six, four, four and one to complete his.
 
Sussex found the going tough from the outset after opting to bat first. The pitch seemed to lack pace and, in the face of excellent, tight bowling at both ends from Hutton and Fletcher, they lost both openers for 33 by the second ball of the 11th over.

Tom Clark nibbled at one outside off stump off Hutton before Tom Haines edged his drive against Fletcher, Tom Moores doing the rest behind the stumps. 

Joined by Hudson-Prentice, Oli Carter sought to rebuild but the arrival of Pettman in the attack made scoring no easier. 

The 26-year-old seamer, who has had limited opportunities in his four years with Nottinghamshire, was making his first senior appearance since last August but made it count with two wickets in two balls as a frustrated Carter found the fielder at mid-on and Sussex captain John Simpson was leg before.

Simpson’s dismissal exposed Sussex’s inexperienced middle-order and Hudson-Prentice soon lost two more partners as 19-year-old Daniel Ibraham was caught at slip and 18-year-old Henry Rogers, on debut, skied to long-on as Patterson-White found immediate turn.

Hudson-Prentice and 20-year old off-spinner Bertie Foreman added 64 before some smart relay fielding involving extra cover Ben Slater, bowler Lyndon James and ‘keeper Tom Moores ran out the younger player.

Fletcher returned to dismiss Lenham caught behind and Karvelas via a miscued pull, in between which Hudson-Prentice cracked consecutive boundaries off Pettman before he was caught at mid-off, as Sussex were all out with almost three overs wasted.

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Bertie Foreman

Notts Outlaws vs Sussex Sharks: Match Preview

The Metro Bank One Day cup is back for another season and Sussex Sharks open their campaign with a trip to the John Fretwell Centre, Sookholme to play Notts Outlaws. Sharks Head Coach Paul Farbrace has named a 14-player squad for the game, which gets underway at 11am tomorrow.

Squad

Campbell, Carter, Clark, Crocombe, Foreman, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hunt, Ibrahim, Karvelas, Lenham, Lion-Cachet, Rogers, Simpson* (wk)

Team News

Charlie Tear is currently away with Scotland and Jack Carson is rested for the the first game. 

Danny Lamb will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained during the Blast game against Middlesex. Everyone at the Club wishes Danny a speedy recovery after a fantastic first season at Sussex. #GOSBTS

Our Opponents 

Preview by Jon Culley – ECB Reporters Network

Captain: Haseeb Hameed

Overseas players: None

2023 finish: Fifth (Group A)

2023 leading run scorer: Matt Montgomery (286)

2023 leading wicket takers: Brett Hutton, Dane Paterson (11)

Key player: Opening bat Ben Slater had a modest 2023 season by his own standards, but still boasts a remarkable List A career average of 52.18. A return to the form that has earned him six hundreds and 17 fifties in this format could be key to a stronger showing by Nottinghamshire.

Keep an eye on: Sam King, a 21-year-old batter who impressed on his two Metro Bank One-Day Cup appearances last season, and marked his T20 debut last week with 44 off 25 balls as Nottinghamshire ended a dismal Vitality Blast campaign with a win at Yorkshire.  An extended run in the 50-over format should be on the cards.

Final thought: After an uncharacteristically poor Vitality Blast, Nottinghamshire have something to prove in this competition. Joint leading wicket-taker Dane Paterson is headed for the West Indies with South Africa, which leaves them with no overseas player, but there is still enough experience and potential in the squad to make an impact.

How to Watch

As ever, you can watch every single ball, free of charge on our livestream via the Match Day Centre. The first ball tomorrow is at 11am.

Photo credit: Saud Ahmed

Danny Lamb to Miss Remainder of the Season

Sussex Cricket can today confirm that sadly Danny Lamb will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained during the Blast match against Middlesex. 

Everyone at the Club wishes Danny a speedy recovery and congratulates him on fantastic first season at Sussex.

Sussex Head Coach, Paul Farbrace, said: "Danny has settled into life at Hove brilliantly, he has played a huge role in the on field progress the team has made this season and will be greatly missed for the rest of the campaign. He is a hugely popular lad, and we all look forward to having him back with us very soon." #GOSBTS

Sussex Cricket to host first ever Brighton & Hove Pride-endorsed cricket match in aid of the Brighton Rainbow Fund and Sussex Cricket Foundation

Sussex Cricket is proud to announce that this year’s One Day Cup fixture against Leicestershire at The 1st Central County Ground on 4th August 2024 has been selected as the Club’s first ever Pride Match and will be the first ever cricket event officially endorsed by Brighton & Hove Pride. 

The Pride Match represents the culmination of years of work on the ground in the local community to ensure that The 1st Central County Ground is a welcoming environment for all. 

As well as running several programmes and initiatives over the past four years, the Club and the Sussex Cricket Foundation has been working closely with a number of LBGTQ+ organisations such as; Out4Cricket, Older and Out, Switchboard and the Brighton & Hove Council LGBTQ+ Steering Group, not only to gain insight, advice and recommendations, but also to listen to members of the community about the potential barriers they face in regard to coming to Hove to watch cricket.

Out4Cricket delivers a presentation at Sussex Cricket Foundation's LGBTQ+ Coffee & Cake morning 

The Club has also established its own LGBTQ+ Steering Group, to ensure voices in the community are heard by representatives from across Sussex Cricket and also hosts monthly LGBTQ+ Coffee and Cake mornings at the ground, free of charge. 

More recently, the first ever LGBTQ+ Sussex Supporters Club was formed, run by a passionate local Sussex supporter with the aim of uniting other members of the community in their support for the Club.

At the Pride match, the Sussex Sharks will be wearing a one-off limited-edition match shirt, with a rainbow themed badges and numbers. The players will also warm-up in a limited-edition training shirt.

Tymal Mills models the limited edition Pride warm-up top

Fans and spectators will also be entertained and have the chance to engage with a number of Pride themed activations around the ground, throughout the day. 

Paul Kemp, Director of Brighton & Hove Pride, added: “We are thrilled to be able to work alongside Sussex Cricket for their inaugural Pride Match against Leicestershire on Sunday 4th August.

“With fundraising at its heart, Brighton & Hove Pride is widely acknowledged as one of the best Pride events across the world, so to be partnering with the oldest professional sport’s club in the world is a powerful statement.

“We hope that this event, along with all of the other fantastic work both organisations are doing across the County, will help to create even more opportunities for our community to get involved with cricket in Brighton & Hove whilst also fundraising for our essential local LGBTQ+ charities and community groups.”

The game will also be an opportunity to not only raise funds for the Brighton Rainbow Fund, but also the Sussex Cricket Foundation, with all profits from the game being split equally between both organisations. 

All funds raised will go towards future initiatives and programmes designed to increase representation of the LGBTQ+ community within the game at all levels, such as supporting the launch of the County’s first ever LGBTQ+ focused cricket club in 2025.

Sussex Cricket is wholeheartedly committed to making the game of cricket accessible to all, and the Pride Match represents an opportunity for everyone involved at the Club to come together to celebrate Pride at The 1st Central County Ground.

Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Director for the Sussex Cricket Foundation said: “The Club and the Foundation have been working tremendously hard in recent years to listen and engage with local stakeholders from the LGBTQ+ community to break down the potential barriers that prevent them from getting involved with the game of cricket.

“Cricket is a game for everyone and our first ever Pride Match is the perfect platform to not only celebrate Pride, but to also demonstrate that The 1st Central County Ground is a safe and inclusive venue for all.”

Jayne Pritchard, Trustee for the Brighton Rainbow Fund, added: “What a brilliant event, which will benefit so many within our community.

“We are so grateful for this very public and generous showing of support the diverse LGBTQ+ people in Brighton & Hove. 

“We look forward to building a brilliant relationship with the Club.”

Tickets for the game on Sunday 4th August start at just £5 for kids and £20 for adults. To celebrate with the Sussex Sharks, grab your tickets by clicking here. 

To find out more about the Sussex Cricket Foundation please visit: https://sussexcricket.co.uk/sussex-cricket-foundation 

Berkshire vs Sussex Sharks: Match Report

Sussex Sharks continued their preparations for this year’s Metro One Day Bank Cup with a 148-run victory over Berkshire at Slough. 

Sussex skipper John Simpson won the toss and elected to bat but Berkshire made the most of the early conditions, as seamer And Rishton dismissed both Tom Haines (4) and Tom Clark (14) to peg back the visitors on a rain interrupted morning. 

Having been off for rain on two occasions, the game was subsequently reduced to a 47-over match, with Oli Carter and Dan Ibrahim eventually returning to the crease with the Sharks on 62-2 from 13 overs. 

Both products of the Sussex Cricket Pathway batted well in tandem, with the pair both making half-centuries and putting on a 117-run third wicket stand before Ibrahim was eventually dismissed for 56 from 60 deliveries to leave the Sharks on 156-3 from 27.3 overs. 

Carter was next to fall after quickly making his way to 78, a knock that included six 4s and two 6s. 

Those dismissals then meant Sussex Rookie’s Zack Lion-Cachet and Henry Rogers were out in the middle and both seemed set on scoring quickly.

Lion-Cachet raced to 31 from just 22 balls including two 4s and 1 six, before he was bowled by Sully Akhtar. 

Henry Rogers (51) and John Simpson (50) both scored quickly for their half-centuries, before brief cameos from Foreman, Lenham, Campbell and Hunt took the Sharks to 334 all-out from their 47 overs.

In response, Berkshire lost two wickets of their own early on. The Sharks opened the bowling with two left-armers at either end, Sean Hunt, and recent signing, Jack Campbell, who was making his debut appearance for the First Team.

Campbell had an immediate impact, finding the edge twice in the same over to leave Berkshire 26-2 from just his second over in his opening spell. He then followed up with a third wicket to further reduce Berkshire to 69-4.

The Berkshire middle-order then began to show some resistance, Dan Lincoln (28) and Matt Dalrymple (19) shared a stand of 36, only for the pair to fall in quick succession.

That meant the hosts were 6 down with 109 on the board at the halfway point of their innings. 

Seamer Andy Rishton provided some much-needed resistance down the order with the bat, making a rapid 44 from 28 before being bowled by Tom Clark, but once he was gone Berkshire’s task looked perilous. 

Opener Rhys Lewis had retired hurt earlier in the game, meaning the Sharks only needed one more to secure victory and it was picked up Clark. 

Photo Credit: Saud Ahmed

Somerset vs Sussex Sharks VI: Match Report

On Saturday 13th July Somerset hosted Sussex Sharks in Taunton in the semi-final of the Primary Club Heindrich Swanapoel Memorial Cup, with the Sharks cruising into the final. 

Sussex won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Somerset to have a bat, preferring to know what to chase should the rain intervene.

The game started in familiar fashion for the Sharks with their opening bowlers keeping good lines and high pace with Joe Harrison claiming 2 early wickets to leave Somerset on just 6-2 after 6 overs. 

Sussex then gave the ball to their totally blind bowlers Dave Daniels and Tiny Morris who reeled off 10 overs to complete their work for the afternoon.

Dave Daniels finished with figures of 1-20 off his 6 overs. At 19 overs the rain intervened and the players had to come off with Somerset 75-3. This reduced the game to 27 overs per side. 

The shortened game gave Somerset just 8 overs to push the score on. England Captain Ed Hossell (29) had held the innings together but fell in the first over after the break to a skiddy yorker from Phil Daniels, who's figures of 3-9 runs off his 6 overs led the Sharks attack. 

Somerset just couldn't get going and the last 8 overs netted them only 22 runs for the loss of 6 wicket, their innings closed on 97 -9.

Although the target looked modest, the pitch had proved difficult to score fluently with just the one boundary coming from the Somerset innings, so the Sharks knew they had to be watchful. 

The first 4 overs yielded just 11 runs but with only 1 wicket falling there were no alarms. 

After the first change scoring became easier and Si Ledwith (51) took the score to within a dozen runs before perishing, but fellow  opener Mark Bond (29*) calmly saw the Sharks over the line for a comfortable eight-wicket win in the 14th over.

In the other semi-final scoring proved to be much easier as last year's beaten finalist Northants piled up 307-4. 

Their opponents 2nd Division Kent gave it a good go but fell 53 runs short, meaning there will be a repeat of the 2023 final between Northants and Sussex, to be played on the 31st August at a venue yet to be announced.

Sussex Sharks vs Hertfordshire: Match Report

A classy century from Tom Haines and 96 from skipper Tom Clark ensured Sussex Sharks won a well contested National Counties Friendly against Hertfordshire at Arundel Castle. 

Hertfordshire’s skipper Ben Waring won the toss and elected to bowl and there would have been a sense of regret after the Sussex Sharks opening pair got off to a flyer, putting on 179 runs for the first-wicket stand from just 158 balls.

Clark, who was skippering for the Sharks, made a brisk 96 from 83 balls, whilst Tom Haines went one further, chalking up 102 from 110 including ten 4s and two 6s. 

After Clark was dismissed in the 27th over, Hertfordshire managed to stem the flow of runs somewhat, picking up three wickets along the way to leave the Sharks 255-4 in the 42 over.

However, the incoming pair of Zach Lion-Cachet and Jack Carson batted with freedom and both closed out the innings unbeaten on 30 and 48 respectively. 

That left Hertfordshire requiring 341 to secure victory and their start mirrored that of the Sussex openers, with Chatfield and Harrison also putting on 170 for the first-wicket stand.

Chatfield was the first to depart for 69, but his partner at the top, Harrison, batted beautifully to reach 126 runs from 121 balls. 

From there on however, it was hard work for the remaining Hertfordshire batters, who never really looked like chasing the total down.

Four wickets from Jack Carson and two a piece from Archie Lenham, Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Henry Crocombe meant that Hertfordshire were bowled out for 282 in the 50th over of the contest.

In the end it was a well-earned 58-run victory for the Sussex Sharks, who begin their Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign on Friday 26th July against Notts Outlaws. 

Quarter-Final Ticket Information

Sussex Sharks have qualified for this year's T20 Vitality Blast quarter-finals and are just one match away from Finals-Day.

The Sharks will play Lancashire Lightning on Wednesday 4th September at 7pm. All tickets will be available to purchase online via our ticketing website as per the details below. 

On Sale Dates

Monday 22nd July 10am Members and Blast Pass Holders

Tuesday 23rd July 10am 2024 Blast Ticket Purchasers

Wednesday 24th July 10am General Sale

Ticket Prices

Members and Blast Pass Holders Adult £25 Youth (u18) £15 Junior (u14) £10

2024 Blast Tickets Purchasers and General Sale Adult £35 Youth (u18) £20 Junior (u14) £15

Important Information 

• All Members and Blast Pass holders must be logged into their online accounts to gain access to purchase tickets when the window opens on Monday 22nd at 10am. 
• SO Legal Members who wish to book tickets in the SO Legal area will need to call on 01273 827100 to purchase tickets
• Purchasers are limited to 1 ticket per eligible person
• Should you wish to purchase tickets for others, those people must be in your network prior to making seat selections. To add eligible supporters to your network:
  • Click the person icon at the top
  • View Account Menu
  • Account Management
  • My Network
  • Click Add User 
  • Insert their ID number and surname
  • The user will now appear below the search bar
• ALL Blast Pass holders will have their current seat/s held for them until 9am Wednesday morning 
• Reserved seats are unavailable from the "select your seat" map
• View your reserved seat by clicking the red dot on the person icon on the map - add the reserved seat to your basket and checkout
• If you hold more than one Blast Pass under the same name, you will need to call 01273 827100 to book your tickets

Accessible Requirements

Should you have any requirements that we need to be aware of, please phone the Box Office on 01273 827100 before booking any tickets. We will discuss with you and make sure the most appropriate tickets/seating is booked.

Hospitality Packages

We have a number of hospitality packages for those fans who would like to upgrade their experience and make the quarter-finals that extra bit special. Take a look through our T20 Quarter-Final Hospitality Brochure to see all of our packages and prices.

To book a package please email corporatesales@sussexcricket.co.uk 

Sussex Sharks vs Middlesex: Match Report

Sussex Sharks secured a home quarter-final in the Vitality Blast after thrashing Middlesex by nine wickets in front of a sell-out crowd at The 1st Central County Ground.

They leapfrogged Somerset, who lost heavily to Glamorgan in Cardiff, and back into second place after securing a ninth win in the South Group and will host the team who finish third in the North in the last eight when the competition resumes in September.

The pitch at Hove was being used for the third time but Middlesex’s 159 for 9 never looked like being enough and conditions were put into perspective by Sussex openers Harrison Ward and the Australian left-hander Daniel Hughes, who put on 141 in 15.1 overs, Sussex’s fourth highest stand for any wicket in T20. 

Hughes is now the top scorer in what is his debut season in the Blast after taking his aggregate to 560 runs with an unbeaten 96 while Ward, who had been drafted into The Hundred for the first time with Oval Invincibles earlier in the day, celebrated by easing to his third half-century in this season’s competition.

Apart from a mix-up which nearly ended in Hughes being run out, the Sussex pair did much as they pleased until Ward was caught at deep mid-wicket for 56 (42 balls, 5 fours, 1 six).

Hughes faced just 54 balls, hitting 12 fours and three sixes – the third to win the game with 22 deliveries to spare as he equalled his T20 career-best with his fourth fifty. 

Some disciplined bowling had set Sussex up. They had reduced Middlesex to 22 for 3 by the third over with Ollie Robinson picking up a wicket with the first ball of his first two overs. 

The dangerous Leus du Plooy was superbly caught at short-cover by Daniel Hughes and Danny Lamb produced an even better effort to remove Max Holden, flinging himself to his left to hang on to a full-blooded slash at backward point.

Later in the same over Lamb put down a much more straightforward chance to reprieve Jack Davies on nought and had to go off with an injury to his right shoulder. 

It left Sussex a bowler light but slow left-armer James Coles (2 for 28) and off-spinner Jack Carson (2 for 23) strangled Middlesex’s attempts to accelerate, although Davies celebrated his reprieve by making 52.

Davies hit four boundaries in an over off Scott Currie and also swiped three sixes but Carson got him in the 14th over courtesy of one of three catches on the mid-wicket boundary by Tom Clark. 

Luke Hollman made 28 at the end but Hughes and Ward soon had Sussex’s chase under control as Middlesex finished another disappointing campaign second from bottom after winning just three games. 

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Daniel Hughes after his unbeaten 96