Middlesex vs Sussex: Match Preview

This week Sussex travel up the road to the Home of Cricket, in an early season top of the table clash against Middlesex. Paul Farbrace has named a 13-player squad for the trip to Lord's.

Team news

Jayden Seales returns to the squad following his omission last week due to a tight groin. 

Squad

Alsop, Carson, Carter, Clark, Coles, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hunt, Lamb, Pujara, Robinson, Seales, Simpson* (wk)

How to Watch

As ever, every ball is available to watch, free of charge, on our livestream via our Match Centre. Action gets underway from 11am tomorrow. 

Photo credit: Saud Ahmed

Reaction from John Simpson after last week's dramatic win over Yorkshire

Historic DIScoverABILITY Day Delivers Again

The Sussex Cricket Foundation once again held its show-stopping disability cricket inclusion event – DIScoverABILITY Day – on Friday 10th May at The 1st Central County Ground, with 850 participants and volunteers taking to the pitch at Hove for an afternoon of action-packed fun and games. 

The spectacular event, sponsored by Webtrends Optimize, saw over 700 participants joined by 150 volunteers in beautiful Sussex sunshine to take part in a wide range of different ball games at the famous home of the Sussex Cricket professional team.

Sports leaders from local secondary schools across the city escorted participants around different zones across the pitch, providing activities such as table cricket, football, wheelchair rugby, mini-golf and Sid the Shark’s Big Hit Challenge. 

Sid and Sandy themselves made an appearance, along with Sussex stars Tymal Mills, Brad Currie, Bertie Foreman and Archie Lenham.

Raquel Oliveria, Optimisation Consultant at Webtrends Optimize, the sponsors of the event, said: “This is the third time now that I and the Webtrends Optimize team have helped at DIScoverABILITY Day and it’s such an amazing experience. 

“It’s so rewarding to see how just much the kids all love the various games and being able to play on the Sussex Cricket pitch - and it’s so much fun for us too. Can’t wait for next year!”

Maria Cook, Chairperson of Crawley Autism Support and mother of Super 1s participant, Ryan, added: “What more could a cricket fan ask for than three consecutive days of fun in the sun celebrating the wonders of disability cricket?!

“The annual DIScoverABILITY Day saw hundred of people with significant difficulties and their carers/teachers/classroom assistants participate in lots of excellent activities on the outfield.

“I was lucky enough to take Ryan once again and he had such a fantastic day.”

DIScoverABILITY Day also preceded back-to-back disability cricket fixtures at The 1st Central County Ground, with both the Sussex Sharks VI and Sussex Sharks D40 teams competing on the hallowed turf at Hove over the weekend. This is the first time any county has staged a weekend dedicated to disability cricket.

It was a resounding success for both sides, with the Sussex Sharks VI team beating Northants Steelbacks in a rescheduled 2023 cup final to lift the BCEW Primary Club Heindrich Swanepoel Cup, whilst the Sussex Sharks D40 team beat Lancashire by 9 wickets in their D40 Quest league fixture. 

Sussex Head Coach, Paul Farbrace gave congratulations to all involved across the weekend: “Many congratulations on a fantastic festival of cricket, it shows that we really are one team one club and that if you want to be involved in this great, and at times frustrating game, then Sussex is the place to be. 

“There are so many good things happening around the club, and so many amazing people making a brilliant contribution to the enjoyment of so many.”

The Sussex Cricket Foundation would like to thank Webtrends Optimize for sponsoring the event, and for their continued support to our County Disability Cricket teams.

To find out more about disability cricket in Sussex, please contact Tom Belcher (Disability Cricket Manager) at tom.belcher@sussexcricket.co.uk or visit https://sussexcricket.co.uk/disability-cricket 

Spectator Information: Sharks T20 2nd XI Friendlies

This week the Sussex Sharks 2nd XI will compete in three fixtures at two venues, Horsham Cricket Club and Arundel Castle Cricket Club.

Tuesday 21st May

The Sharks 2nd XI take on Surrey 2nd XI in a T20 match at Horsham Cricket Club. Entry is free and a small amount of onsite parking is available. 

Wednesday 22nd May 

The Sharks 2nd XI are back at Horsham again, this time to face Essex 2nd XI in another T20 match.

Thursday 23rd May

The third match will be played at Arundel Castle Cricket Club against Hampshire 2nd XI. Entry is free, however there is a £5 charge for onsite parking. 

Each of the three games start at 2pm. 

Sussex vs Yorkshire: Day Three Match Report

Sussex, inspired by Ollie Robinson, continued their fine start to the second division season with their third victory in six matches, beating Yorkshire by 21 runs runs in a most dramatic encounter at Hove.  They took 19 points to Yorkshire’s three.

Yorkshire, who are still looking for their first win, appeared to be cruising to their winning target of 183 at 158 for six, with just 25 runs needed and half-centurian Adam Lyth in total control.  

But then they lost four wickets for three runs and Robinson, bowling down the hill from the Cromwell Road end, turned the game on its head with the first three of them without conceding a run. 

First, he had Lyth caught behind for a heroic 73, from 152 balls in 228 minutes.  It was a short and sharp delivery which was too good for the left-handed opener. 

Then, in his next over, Robinson struck twice, having Jordan Thompson brilliantly caught by Jack Carson at long leg before, four balls later, bowling Dom Leech for a duck. 

Yorkshire had lost three wickets with the score on 158, all to Robinson.  And finally, at 161,  Ben Coad, batting with an injured back, was run out by Fynn Hudson-Prentice from point.

Yorkshire were favourites to win this match from the first morning, when they put in the championship leaders on a grassy pitch and bowled them out for 150.  They were favourites again yesterday, when they set out to score 183 to win.

But Sussex were very competitive throughout the game and when they swept through Yorkshire’s middle order, Joe Root included, to reduce them to 45 for four, and then 76 for five, they were narrow favourites themselves. 

They looked as though they would be denied by Lyth, and Yorkshire were clear favourites at tea, at 140 for six. 

They had made a bad start, slipping to 21 for two. But they regrouped through Lyth and Root before being set back on their heels when they lost two wickets just before lunch. 

First it was the big one, Root himself, who was lbw to a straight one in the penultimate over before the break.  Root appeared to be falling over, slightly, to the off-side as he attempted to play the ball on the leg side.

Then, in the last over before the interval, George Hill edged Hudson-Prentice – who had just replaced Robinson at the Cromwell Road end - to the wicketkeeper and Yorkshire were struggling  at 45 for four.

Yorkshire were just edging ahead again, when, at 76, James Wharton got an inside edge to one from Sean Hunt and the ball dislodged his leg bail.  Lyth started to mastermind yet another recovery, this time in the company of Jonathan Tattersall.  

But Carson had Tattersall, sweeping, caught at backward square-leg and then Robinson took over.

In the morning Sussex had lost their last three wickets in 44 minutes for the addition of 33 runs.  Resuming on 194 for seven, with a precarious lead of 149, they lost their first wicket when Carson, who had added just three to his overnight 22, drove uppishly and was well caught in the covers by Wharton, moving sharply to his left.

The last two wickets went down in the space of five deliveries.  Tom Alsop, 77 overnight, had added just nine when he attempted to cut a delivery by Hill, but instead chopped it to third slip. 

He had batted five minutes short of six hours and faced 256 deliveries.  In the next over Robinson, who had been struck on the right arm in the course of some short stuff from Jordan Thompson, lost two of his stumps as he attempted to heave Hill over midwicket.

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from skipper John Simpson after a crucial win over Yorkshire

Sussex Sharks VI vs Kent Spitfires VI: Match Report

On Saturday reigning T20 Champions Sussex Sharks made the journey to 2nd Division Kent Spitfires in the first round of this years competition. 

Sussex stand in skipper Ian “Tiny” Morris lost the toss and Kents Tom Barton had no  hesitation in asking the visitors to have a bat.

On a  tricky slightly 2  paced pitch Sussex started cautiously  and lost their first wicket with the score on 48  when Charlton Davis took a  smart running catch down at fine leg to dismiss Mark Bond for 25. 

The Sussex innings was anchored by Joe Harrison  who carried his bat for   an unbeaten 63 off 53 balls, bringing up his 50 with a  cheeky reverse swept 4  through third Man. 

Si Ledwith joined  Joe and turned the match with a  blistering 60 not out off just 36 balls including seven 4s and a monster 6 over long on. The Sussex innings closed on 183 for 2. 

The Kent bowlers had all been steady and some great ground fielding had kept Sussex to a  challenging but potentially chasable total.

The Kent innings began very steadily  before losing opener Lee Robshaw for 34 with the score on 59 in the 9th over. 

With Kent behind the rate they struggled to time the ball and reach the boundary, Marcus Kiplings 4  overs for just 11 with 2  wickets kept the asking rate rising and despite Tom Bartons 44 not out anchoring the innings none of the other batters could get going and the innings closed on  108 for 3.

Despite the margin Kent  put in an excellent battling performance  to never let Sussex get away and kept working hard throughout the whole game. Sussex will now move on to the quarter finals where they will host the winner of Dorset and Berkshire, 2  clubs from the Southern development league making their first appearance in the National T20 competition.

Sussex next game will be home to Lancashire at Blackstone on Saturday 1st June 1pm start, all are very welcome.

Sussex vs Yorkshire: Day Two Match Report 

Sussex batter Tom Alsop batted for over 5 hours to leave a fascinating match in the balance on day two of the Vitality County Championship match against Yorkshire at The 1st Central County Ground. 

After 17 wickets had fallen on the first day, matters were a little less frenetic in a tightly fought contest at the half-way stage.

Yorkshire had gained a first innings lead of 45 in the morning and Sussex managed to drag themselves to 194 for seven in their second innings, a lead of 149.  

Their innings was held together by a dogged five-hour unbeaten 77 by Tom Alsop, who was bowled by a no-ball at 39 and dropped at 58.

Play started 45 minutes late in damp and murky conditions.  Yorkshire resumed on 176 for seven, a lead of 26 runs, and Sussex took just 33 minutes to take the three remaining wickets for the addition of 19 runs.

They broke through after 20 minutes play when Jordan Thompson, surprised by the bounce achieved by Ollie Robinson,  deflected the ball onto his stumps with his elbow.

For the next over Sean Hunt replaced Tom Haines at the sea end and from his fifth delivery he took a straightforward caught and bowled chance to dismiss Ben Coad.

And in the over after that Dom Leech shouldered arms and had his off stump plucked out by a delivery angled into him by Robinson.  

Yorkshire were all out for 195 with Hunt finishing with career-best figures of four for 64. Robinson (3-25) has bowled well this season without much luck and this was the first time in four matches that he had taken more than two wickets in an innings.

Yorkshire’s slender lead looked significant when they dismissed both Sussex openers inside the first three overs.  Haines was out second ball, after his attempted pull fell to Thompson in the second over.  

And in the following over Tom Clark, drove at Coad and was caught by Matthew Revis at cover.

Alsop and Cheteshwar Pujara brought Sussex back into the match with a third wicket stand worth 74 watchful runs in 24 overs. 

But then Pujara, playing his last innings at Hove this season, failed to get fully forward to one from Leech and was lbw for a 56-ball 33.

Alsop and James Coles took Sussex to tea at 123 for three, a lead of 78, with Alsop unbeaten on 52.  After the interval the Sussex batsmen battled hard against a disciplined Yorkshire attack.  

The visitors took the fourth Sussex wicket when Coles, who had added just two runs since the break, miscued his attempted pull off George Hill and was caught at square-leg for 28.  

John Simpson, was missed in the slips before he had scored but failed to make the most of his let-off.  When Coad replaced Root at the Cromwell Road end he immediately had the Sussex captain caught at first slip for an uncomfortable six; 140 for five.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice looked in the mood to take the attack to the Yorkshire bowlers but he was sixth out at 155, lbw shouldering arms to Thompson, and then Danny Lamb fell lbw for a duck to Coad.

Jack Carson was the next man in and he dug deep to support Tom Alsop, ensuring Sussex were still in with a chance of victory at the close of play.

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network 

Reaction from Paul Farbrace at stumps on day two 

Sussex vs Yorkshire: Day 2 Resumes at 11:45am

Day two of the Vitality County Championship match between Sussex and Yorkshire at The 1st Central County Ground will resume at 11:45am, following rain this morning.

Ticket Information

Tickets to the first three days are available to purchase online here. As always, we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance, to save money and to protect yourself, should the game by impacted by rain. Full details can be found in our Refund Policy. 

Free Entry After 4pm

Entry to all County Championship games at The 1st Central County Ground after 4pm is free of charge. 

How to Watch

As ever, every ball is available to watch, free of charge, on our livestream via our Match Centre. Action gets underway from 11am tomorrow. 

Jack Carson, Tom Alsop and Mary Taylor Become 

Sussex Cricket Foundation Ambassadors

The Sussex Cricket Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Jack Carson, Tom Alsop and Mary Taylor as Sussex Cricket Foundation Ambassadors for 2024. 

The trio joint the already appointed Georgia Adams and Dan Field to help support the Foundation’s mission of actively changing lives through the power of cricket and help promote the Foundation among men’s, women’s, and disability cricket teams.

Tom Alsop will build upon the work he has already done with the County Disability teams, which has included coaching their indoor training sessions throughout the winter and building a strong connection between the professional squad and our community teams.

Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Cricket Director: “I am delighted that Tom, Jack and Mary have agreed to join Georgia & Dan as Ambassadors of the Foundation. 

“Having players from all three of our elite cricket teams to support the Foundation is crucial to building a stronger connection between the professional and recreation side of Sussex Cricket. 

“Our players are role models and it’s important that they get involved in community events, so they can see first-hand the work of the Foundation and also help inspire future players of the game.”

Sussex’s Tom Alsop said: “It’s a privilege to be a foundation ambassador. I’ve seen first-hand the happiness and positive impact the foundation brings to so many. 

“There’s so much passion for the game in this county; I was fortunate enough to work with the D40 squads this winter and their collective enthusiasm and enjoyment for the game was infectious. 

“Sussex is a fantastic club and a club for all. The more we can grow our game and club, the more positive impact on people’s lives we can make.”

Sussex Women’s Mary Taylor added: “I am delighted to become an ambassador for the Foundation.

“I hope to be able to use my profile to help inspire more women and girls to play the game and also to help the Foundation continue their fantastic work in growing the game.”

To learn more about the work of the Foundation, please look over their latest Impact Report https://sussexcricket.co.uk/impact-report-2023

If anyone is interested in supporting the Foundation please contact Community Cricket Director, Gary Wallis-Tayler on gary.wallis-tayler@sussexcricket.co.uk 

Sussex vs Yorkshire: Day One Match Report

Seventeen wickets fell on the first day at The 1st Central County Ground as second division leaders Sussex hit back after they were bowled out for 150 by Yorkshire in the Vitality County Championship.

Joe Root showed his class with 67 but no one else made more than Sussex’s top scorer James Coles (38). Yorkshire were 176 for 7 at stumps and how much they can add to their lead of 26 will be crucial to their efforts of securing a first victory of the season.

Root enjoyed an absorbing battle with England teammate Ollie Robinson, who bowled two quality spells and was unlucky not to pick up more than one wicket. 

He shared stands of 42 with James Wharton and 58 for the sixth wicket with Jonathan Tattersall, as he passed 50 for the fourth time in seven Championship innings which have now brought him 432 runs in his preparations for the international summer. But having moved to 67 off 88 balls (7 fours) a misjudgement saw him struck on the back leg by Tom Haines working into the on side.

For the other batters it was hard work. On a well-grassed pitch the ball moved lavishly off the seam at times, but there were some loose shots too and 12 of the wickets fell to slip catches.

Sussex weren’t surprised to be put in, but Haines and Tom Clark serenely added 42 in 6.5 overs. It proved a false dawn, though, and apart from a fifth-wicket stand of 30 between Cheteshwar Pujara and Coles, Yorkshire’s disciplined all-seam attack held sway.

George Hill led the way with 4 for 22 including two in five balls in his opening spell as Haines was taken at second slip and Alsop at third playing at deliveries which nipped off the seam. He returned after lunch to pick up Danny Lamb with his first ball back and then removed Jack Carson in the same over. 

Hill got good support, notably from Ben Coad (3 for 47). Coad had angled one in which seamed away to make the breakthrough when he removed Clark. Sussex skipper John Simpson was lbw shuffling forward and Tattersall dived in front of slip to remove Fynn Hudson-Prentice.

Arguably the crucial wicket was claimed by the highly-regarded Dom Leech with the ninth ball of his first appearance of the season when Pujara was superbly caught by Tattersall, again diving in front of first slip. Coles then watched as four wickets fell for 18 runs in 8.1 overs before he was last out, holing out to mid-on. 

Sussex had been dismissed in 44.1 overs but their bowlers soon hit back.

Robinson beat the bat on numerous occasions with the new ball, but it was left-armer Sean Hunt who made the breakthrough with his fifth delivery which Finlay Bean edged to second slip. Adam Lyth was taken at third slip before Robinson was rewarded in his sixth over with the crucial wicket of skipper Shan Masood, fencing to third slip.

Hill played a loose drive at Hudson-Prentice to the last ball before tea but by then Root had begun to get the measure of the conditions. Wharton gave him good support until hitting across the line to a yorker-length ball which gave Hudson-Prentice his second wicket and Hunt returned to have Tattersall caught at third slip just before the close.

Report provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Sean Hunt on stumps at day one 

Jayden Seales Becomes 159th Sussex Player to

 Receive County Cap

Sussex pace-bowler Jayden Seales today became the 159th Sussex player to be awarded their County Cap during the lunch interval of the County Championship match between Sussex and Yorkshire.

The West Indies Test seamer made a spectacular start to his first stint at Sussex this season, so far taking 23 wickets at an average of 21.86, helping Sussex to climb to top of the Division 2 table after five games. 

Seales was presented the cap by former Sussex overseas and West Indies seamer, Corey Collymore, who also coached Jayden in his teenage years. 

Jayden is the second Sussex player to have been capped this season, after skipper John Simpson received his in April. 

Congratulations, Jayden! #GOSBTS