Sharks vs Glamorgan: Match Report

Glamorgan won only their third victory in this season’s Vitality Blast as they beat Sussex Sharks by 24 runs under the DLS method at The 1st Central County Ground.

The visitors laid the foundations for a huge total of 235 for 6 – the third-highest in their Blast history - when they plundered 81 in the powerplay as Sussex badly missed the control with the new ball.

Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson, who hit a career-best 87 off 47 balls before he was caught at extra cover in the 19th over, one of four wickets for Sussex skipper Tymal Mills who is now the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 19.

Daniel Hughes led Sussex’s response with 74 off 38 balls, his fourth half-century in this season’s competition, but having been set an unlikely 79 from 28 deliveries following a 50-minute rain delay they finished on 190 for 8 and slipped to their third defeat of the season, although they remain second in the South Group.

Carlson and co. set the tone by thrashing 75 in the first five overs after Glamorgan were put in, including 60 in boundaries. It needed a great slower ball by Mills to stymie their progress which Will Smale pulled to mid-wicket after hitting eight fours and a six in a stand of 79 from just 33 balls. Carlson then put on 72 off 37 with Tom Bevan and 47 off 24 with Colin Ingram to maintain their momentum.

Glamorgan might have fancied posting a score of 250-plus when they had 194 on the board after 15 overs but, spearheaded by Mills, Sussex dragged it back slightly by taking four wickets and only conceding 39 in the final five.

Mills led the way with 4 for 29 as Ingram missed a straight one and Marnus Labuschagne drove to mid-on before he snared Carlson, who struck three sixes and nine fours, only to be foxed by Mills’ speciality slower ball with a century in his sights.

Sussex were left needing to score at nearly 12 an over but after losing Harrison Ward in the second over Australian Hughes and another left-hander, Clark, added 55 in 27 balls to keep their challenge alive.

But leg-spinner Mason Crane made an immediate impact when he came on in the seventh over with two wickets in his first three balls. Clark was stumped when he missed a googly and James Coles lost his middle stump heaving across the line.

Hughes and John Simpson shared 49 off 31 balls but the required rate had climbed to 14.75 when Simpson failed to clear long on in the 12th over. Hughes hit two sixes off Chris Sole when play resumed at 10.10pm but then he holed out to deep backward-square to effectively end Sussex’s hopes. 

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Dan Hughes after his fourth Blast half-century for the Sharks

Sharks vs Glamorgan: Please Arrive on Time

The Blast is back! But so is the rain this morning. A decision in a reduction in play can only be made by the match referee and umpires, this will not be decided until later this evening. Therefore, we advise spectators to arrival as usual for the game. Any further updates will be communicated during the evening as we get them.

Gates open at 530pm, with play due to start at 7pm.

You can find all the information you need regarding potential refunds if play is cancelled, by viewing our Refund and Rollback Policy. 

We look forward to welcoming you back to The 1st Central County Ground to watch the Sharks in Blast action!

Sharks vs Glamorgan: Match Preview

The Blast is back! The Sharks return to T20 action tomorrow night at 7pm at The 1st Central County Ground, with Glamorgan the opponents. Sharks Head Coach Paul Farbrace has named a 16-player squad for the game. 

Squad

Alsop, Carson, Carter, Clark, Coles, Crocombe, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Karvelas, Lamb, Lenham, McAndrew, Mills (c), Robinson, Simpson (wk), Ward

Team News

Tom Clark is in the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained before the start of the Vitality T20 Blast.

Glamorgan Tickets Selling Fast

The Sharks are back in action at The 1st Central County Ground this tomorrow night, and tickets are selling fast.

Don't miss out on your chance to see the Sharks in one of only four remaining home games this summer. 

Plus, you can use promo code: T20GROUPS for 10% off all bookings of 6 or more tickets. Click here to purchase yours today.

Can't make the game?

As ever, every ball of the action will be available to watch free of charge on our livestream via our Match Day Centre.

Bring Your 1st Central Hair Headband for a Chance to Win £50!

Sussex Cricket and 1st Central have teamed up to give Sharks fans who re-use their 1st Central Hairy Headbands at a Blast game the chance to win a £50 voucher.

As Sharks fans will know, we have been giving out free 1st Central Hairy Headbands at Blast games for the past few seasons, and in the spirit of sustainability, we have partnered with 1st Central to incentivise supporters to re-use their Hairy Headbands at future games.

Starting this Friday 5th when the Sharks take on Glamorgan at The 1st Central County Ground, fans who arrive with their headbands at the gate will be given a free raffle ticket and the chance to win a £50 voucher. 

Fans who attend games will still be able to pick up headbands free of charge and will also be able to give a small donation, if possible, to the Sussex Cricket Foundation.

As ever, we thank you for your cooperation and for supporting the Sharks this summer. 

Glamorgan Tickets Selling Fast

The Sharks are back in action at The 1st Central County Ground this Friday night, and tickets are selling fast.

Don't miss out on your chance to see the Sharks in one of only four remaining home games this summer. 

Plus, you can use promo code: T20GROUPS for 10% off all bookings of 6 or more tickets. Click here to purchase yours today.

Harrison Ward: Blasting the Sharks to Success

It's been a successful opening 8 games in the Blast for the Sharks so far this season, and explosive opener Harrison Ward has been vital to that success at the top of the order. We caught up with him ahead of the Blast resuming this Friday against Glamorgan to find out what he's made of the team's performances up until now.

Harrison, firstly your assessment of the campaign so far?

I think it’s been very good so far! To be 6 wins from 8 games and second in the table puts us in a strong position going into the second block of blast games. Everyone who’s played has contributed in some way which shows we have match winners the whole way down our side. 

Results this year so far have been much better, particularly at home, what do you put that down to?

I’d put it down to us as a group always taking the positive whether it’s with bat or ball. The coaching staff and Millsy have backed everyone who’s played to take that option and it’s showed in games where we’ve looked behind with the bat and lads down the order have got us up to very good scores. And with the ball we’re taking wickets consistently through our 20 overs. 

You had to wait for your chance to get in the team, but you’ve grabbed it with both hands – two big half-centuries already, you must be extremely happy with the impact you’ve had at the top of the order?

It’s been good to contribute to a couple of wins. I had to stay patient last year for a chance as well so I knew that if I kept myself in a good place mentally that when I got a chance that it would give me the best chance to score runs. 

You’ve opened with Dan Hughes, you both seem to complement each other so well, what’s it like playing with him and how much has he impressed you?

He’s been excellent for us. We seem to hit the ball in different areas which always helps. He’s also kept me calm in situations that I could have thrown my wicket away and kept me focused. I think he’s impressed everyone, not just me and hopefully he can keep his form going for the rest of the tournament. 

It really has been a team effort across the games, everyone chipping in with runs and wickets – it seems to everyone on the outside that there is a real togetherness and team spirit among the group?

There definitely is! The championship team started the season off so well and it feels like we have carried that into the t20 blast. Everyone is enjoying playing with each other and therefore backing each other to do well and that makes it easier to put in performances. 

Six games still left to play, with plenty of tough fixtures in there, how confident are you and the team of continuing the great form you’ve already shown this year?

I think it would be very easy to look ahead at what could come at the end of the group stages. However, every game we’ve played so far, we have gone into focusing purely on that game and we will do that for the rest of the tournament and see where it takes us. 

Paul has mentioned the goal was to get to the next stage of the competition, but there must be some quiet confidence among the group that you could go further and make finals day?

As much as you want to focus on the next game. Everyone at the start of a new season looks at final’s day as the big event in the domestic calendar and wants to play in it. I think if we keep playing the way we are then I see no reason why we can’t get to finals day as everyone is contributing and playing well.

Glamorgan Tickets Selling Fast

The Sharks are back in action at The 1st Central County Ground this Friday night, and tickets are selling fast.

Don't miss out on your chance to see the Sharks in one of only four remaining home games this summer. 

Plus, you can use promo code: T20GROUPS for 10% off all bookings of 6 or more tickets. Click here to purchase yours today.

Northamptonshire vs Sussex: Day Three Match Report

Sussex quick bowler Nathan McAndrew took five wickets, including two in three balls, to power his county to victory over Northamptonshire and cement their place at the top of the Vitality County Championship Division Two.

Australian overseas signing McAndrew, who removed both openers yesterday, finished with figures of five for 73 as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 220, Sussex winning by 63 runs.

A short, fiery spell from overlooked England seamer Ollie Robinson did the early damage in gloomy, drizzly conditions. Robinson found plenty of bounce and carry to remove both not out Northamptonshire batters, Matthew Breetzke and Rob Keogh inside the first 20 minutes of this third morning at Wantage Road. It was a spell which effectively dashed the hosts’ remaining hopes of chasing 284 to win.

While Robinson went off with a niggle soon afterwards, Sussex kept the pressure on, removing the in-form Lewis McManus cheaply before a stubborn eighth wicket partnership of 50 in 14 overs between Justin Broad (45) and Ben Sanderson (24) kept Northamptonshire in the chase.

But McAndrew, playing the second of two Championship matches this summer, then returned to take the last three wickets to earn his side their fifth win of the summer.

Northamptonshire had started the day on 137 for four – still needing another 147 to pull off a first win of the season. But they soon lost South African T20 international Breetzke (12) when he pulled out of a pull shot against Robinson, only for the ball to climb and take the edge through to keeper John Simpson.

Robinson then got another pacy delivery to lift sharply with Keogh (12) only able to edge through to Jack Carson at fourth slip before Sean Hunt accounted for McManus (5), caught behind, to leave Northamptonshire in trouble at 155 for seven, having lost three wickets for 11 in seven overs.

Broad and Sanderson dug in to keep Northamptonshire’s hopes alive, running sharp ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but unafraid to put the bad balls away.

Sanderson showed his batting credentials with a glorious on drive past the bowler for four to get off the mark against Hunt before clipping Fynn Hudson-Prentice off his legs through midwicket for another boundary.

In neat symmetry, Broad, who drove Robinson straight down the ground for four to bring up Northamptonshire’s 150, reverse swept the left-arm spin of James Coles for another boundary to take the hosts past 200.

The decision to reintroduce McAndrew into the attack proved inspired when, in his first over, he removed Sanderson, who chipped straight to Dan Hughes at mid-on. Then, two balls later, the bowler accounted for Raphy Weatherall with an unplayable inswinging yorker.

Broad still showed belief though, taking the attack to McAndrew, ramping over the keeper for four, smashing over midwicket for six and carving the ball square for another boundary. The bowler ultimately had the last word though and when Broad attempted to swing him over fine leg, Coles took the catch in the deep.

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Sussex Head Coach Paul Farbrace 

Watch: T20 Vitality Blast - The Story So Far

A short break in the T20 Vitality Blast schedule has given an opportunity to reflect on what has been an exhilarating Blast campaign so far from the Sussex Sharks. 

After the first 8 games, the Sharks sit second in the South Group, having won six and lost two. There have been so many nights to remember already, including a final-ball victory against Gloucestershire, a crucial win at the Oval and a run-fest at Chelmsford. 

Check out the highlights from all six of our wins so far this season.

Glamorgan Tickets Selling Fast

The Sharks are back in action at The 1st Central County Ground this Friday night, and tickets are selling fast.

Don't miss out on your chance to see the Sharks in one of only four remaining home games this summer. 

Plus, you can use promo code: T20GROUPS for 10% off all bookings of 6 or more tickets. Click here to purchase yours today.

Northamptonshire vs Sussex: Day Two Match Report

Sussex’s bowlers dealt Northamptonshire a double blow late in the day at Wantage Road to close in on victory and the chance to stretch their advantage at the top of Vitality County Championship Division Two.

Set a target of 284, Emilio Gay’s 67 appeared to have given Northamptonshire a fighting chance – but he and skipper Luke Procter both fell in the space of four balls to leave the visitors as clear favourites in a low-scoring contest.

Seamer Nathan McAndrew, who dismissed Gay leg before, ended with two for 37 as the home side closed on 137 for four – still needing another 147 to pull off a first win of the season.

Procter played a key role with the ball earlier in the day, recording season’s best figures of four for 45 as Sussex were bowled out for 237 in their second innings, while Ben Sanderson took three for 44.

The opening day’s play had encompassed 22 wickets – and more of the same looked on the cards when Tom Alsop departed in the first over, edging Sanderson behind with no increase to Sussex’s overnight lead of 129.

In a tight opening spell Sanderson soon dismissed nightwatchman Sean Hunt as well, taken at first slip, while Raphy Weatherall and Justin Broad also extracted movement and bounce off the surface.

James Coles settled down to dispatch a series of classic cover drives to the boundary, while Oli Carter shook off a slow start by whipping Procter for six over square leg, but the Northamptonshire captain responded by bringing one back to pin Coles in front.

Broad then struck twice just after lunch with a ball that seamed and bounced to clip Carter’s off bail before Fynn Hudson-Prentice miscalculated a cut shot and speared it into the hands of mid-off instead.

Having spilled a number of catches in Sussex’s first innings, the home side squandered an opportunity to remove John Simpson as Gay, springing across from second slip, fumbled a sharp chance off Sanderson.

In the same over, Broad’s throw from cover should have left McAndrew short of his ground and the Australian capitalised on that let-off, thrashing five boundaries to reach a valuable 22 before he was out in peculiar fashion.

McAndrew’s leading edge off Procter looped up towards mid-off, with the bowler racing to gather it, colliding with the substitute fielder and dumping the ball on the turf in his follow-through – yet the catch stood.

Procter swiftly polished off the last two wickets, including that of Simpson for 40, to leave Northamptonshire almost a session and a half’s batting and they lost Ricardo Vasconcelos prior to tea, trapped in his crease by McAndrew’s second delivery.

However, Prithvi Shaw got off the mark by crunching McAndrew to the cover fence and continued to exhibit classy strokeplay on either side of the wicket as he and Gay built a partnership of 69, the highest of the match.

Left-armer Hunt produced a beauty to separate the pair, knocking back Shaw’s off stump for 37 – and he might also have dislodged Gay in his next over but Simpson, leaping low to his left, was unable to pouch the chance.

The opener took advantage to pass 50 for the sixth time this season from the next ball and he and Procter dug in to reach 118 for two before Sussex prised them both out in successive overs.

Off-spinner Jack Carson persuaded Procter to nudge one to Simpson and the swift loss of Gay left Matthew Breetzke and Rob Keogh with the task of ensuring Northamptonshire at least live to fight another day.

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Nathan McAndrew at the end of day two 

Sussex Cricket Launches Hidden Disability Wristband

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce that the Club has launched its very own Hidden Disability Wristband. 

It follows the recent news that the Club also opened its brand new Sensory, Inclusion and Quiet Room, a safe and relaxing environment where supporters can take time away from the main seating areas to enjoy the cricket. 

The Sussex Cricket Hidden Disability Wristband is to help catering, stewarding, and ticketing staff to better assist supporters and avoid otherwise awkward situations for supporters and staff.

Wristbands are available for spectators to wear to The 1st Central County Ground and is a discreet method of letting our stewards and staff know if they have a hidden disability which means they may require additional assistance or support when visiting our ground. 

The 1st Central County Ground is a venue for everyone and our staff will be on hand to give spectators the support they need to ensure they have an enjoyable experience at the cricket.

To request a wristband or to find out more about the Sensory, Inclusion and Quiet Room, please contact jenny.mayo@sussexcricket.co.uk 

Surrey Women vs Sussex Women: Match Report

Sussex Women edged out Surrey Women by 14 runs in a tightly fought contest yesterday at Guildford to maintain their spot in in second place of Group 4 in the ECB Women’s 50 Over competition.  

Going into the game, Sussex knew a win would be some daylight between their opponents, who sat just behind them in the group in third place.

Hosts Surrey won the toss and elected to field and when they managed to bowl Sussex out for just 156 runs in 41.4 overs, they would have forgiven for thinking a win would be a formality. 

The Sussex top order was unable to strike up any significant partnerships, with the Surrey bowling attack restricting the run rate throughout the early overs of the innings. 

Wicket-keeper-batter Mollie Adams, the only batter to score over 10 runs from Sussex’s top five, meant work was needed from the middle-order to put together a defendable total.

Phoebe Wilkinson (46) had to work hard for her runs, but she had support from allrounder Regina Suddahazai, who contributed 20 runs. 

Surrey’s run chase almost mirrored that of the visitors, with only opener Daisy Feast (25) making runs. 

Sussex’s varied bowling attack, which has seen contributions from a number of different bowlers this season, did well to prevent Surrey’s chase from picking up momentum.

Surrey captain, Amy Gordon, made a brisk 36 from 27 deliveries to give them hope of victory, but she was eventually dismissed by the in-form Millie Taylor.

Taylor would go on to return figures of 4-32 from her 10 overs as she cleaned up the Surrey tail. 

There was also wickets for Daisy Gibb, Reinga Suddahazai, Tia Joseph and Indigo Gentry, who ensured Surrey were bowled out for 142, 14 runs shy of the Sussex total.

To view the scorecard, plus all of the Sussex Women’s fixtures and results, please visit: https://sussexwomen.play-cricket.com/home

Photo credit: Saud Ahmed