Our Women's Head Coach, Alexia Walker, has been named one of the 53 women changing the game in England and Wales by the ECB.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has unveiled 53 purple seats at Edgbaston ahead of the first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup match on Friday.   

The seats recognise 53 women shaping the future of cricket, in a nod to the number of years since the inaugural Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in England in 1973.   

We congratulate Alexia on this wonderful achievement.

To view the full story, visit this link.

Sussex Produce Dominant Display in Defence of Title

On Sunday 7th June Sussex Sharks Visually Impaired XI hosted Lancashire Lions in the beautiful setting of Bede’s Senior School, in Upper Dicker near Hailsham. It was a credit to the ground-staff, that after a week of torrential rain a perfect pitch and great outfield were a fitting backdrop to the Quarter-final of the BCEW Primary Club Heindrich Swanepoel Memorial Cup.

Lancashire won the toss and had no hesitation in asking the Sharks to have a bat. Tight lines and a well martialled field meant that after 5 overs the Sharks were languishing on 5 for no wicket. Mark Bond had gone down with an injury and skipper Dan field promoted himself up the order to steady the ship. He and Dave Daniels (26) first consolidated and then accelerated to build a 113-run partnership for the first wicket before Dave was dismissed. This brought Si Ledwith to the crease, and he and Dan steadily accelerated the scoring rate and at the end of 30 overs the Sharks had compiled a significant 244-1. Si ending 66 not out with 6 x 4s and a 6, Dan finished on an impressive 107 not out, including 7 x 4s and 3 x maximums.

The Lancashire reply got off to a horrible start as a mix up saw Shah Miah horribly run out. At the other end Shazaib Haider was doing his utmost to keep the scoring rate up with a brutal hitting display, his 80 off 53 balls with 3 x 4s and 4 x 6s was the standout innings before he eventually perished to a smart catch behind by Si Ledwith off of the bowling of Deacon Finn who returned 2  wickets for 20 off of his 4 overs. The pick of the Sharks bowlers was Dave Daniels who bowled 6 overs for just 27 runs and bagging 4 wickets. This ensured that no other Lancashire bowler reached double figures and when the final wicket fell Lancashire were all out for 120 in the 20th over.

With a catch, run out, 4 wickets and 26 invaluable runs to anchor the innings Dave Daniels picked up the Player of the Match Award. The full scorecard from the match can be found here. 

Sussex now progress to the Semi-final where they will host London Metro who they defeated off the last ball of last year’s final to lift the Cup. The Lancashire-Sussex rivalry is not done yet as the two teams will face each other again in August in both the National League and the Quarter-final of the T20 competition.

Report courtesy of Ian 'Tiny' Morris (Secretary & T20 Captain)

Hampshire’s big-hitting proves too much for injury-hit Sussex

Sussex arrived for their second D40 Quest - South fixture of the season chasing back-to-back wins, but they did so under no illusions about the scale of the challenge. A raft of injuries and unavailability meant a reshaped Mixed Disability 1st XI featuring five second-team players and, crucially, a depleted bowling attack. 

Hampshire, strong and experienced, won the toss at Hartney Wintney CC and batted first on a compact ground that included a tempting 35-yard leg-side boundary. A detail that would soon frame the day’s narrative.

The opening exchanges were measured and competitive. After 10 overs Hampshire were 50–1, honours even and both sides cautiously content: Hampshire had a base; Sussex, working with limited resources, had kept a lid on the rate and prised an early wicket. The visiting bowlers asked enough questions to hint at further inroads, but from that point the contest tilted decisively towards the hosts. Kev Cooper began to impose himself, picking length and clearing that short boundary with a regularity that turned manageable into menacing. By the halfway mark Hampshire had surged to 141–1, the platform reinforced by a composed fifty from Henry Schooling, and Sussex were suddenly chasing the game.

What followed was a display of clinical, ruthless hitting. Cooper accelerated superbly, marrying placement with power, and punished anything marginal. Freddie Gurney joined him to devastating effect in the latter stages, turning strong foundations into a formidable total. Cooper’s 154 from 92 balls was the standout, an innings of authority that never lost momentum. While Gurney’s unbeaten 89 off 43 was the perfect late-innings counterpart, all tempo and intent. The pair capitalised expertly on the dimensions at Hartney Wintney, peppering leg side and forcing field changes that only opened up more scoring options. By the close Hampshire had powered to 388–4 from their 40 overs, a score that reflected both the quality of their striking and the challenge facing an undermanned Sussex attack.

Amid the barrage there was a bright personal milestone for Sussex: Jack Challen, on debut for the first team, claimed his maiden wicket. On a day when control was difficult to come by and margins were slim; it was a moment to savour and a tangible reward for perseverance against a relentless onslaught.

Chasing 389 was always going to demand a heady mix of early luck, clean striking and faith. Sussex were clear-eyed about the assignment: keep the board moving, target the bonus point thresholds, and see how far pressure might be shifted back onto the bowlers. But fortune, so often a quiet partner in successful pursuits, did not travel with them. Owen Piper, Elliot Brown and Aston Stuart all departed inside the first six overs, victims of a combination of sharp fielding and those maddening inches that separate fours from catching practice. Brown and Stuart were unlucky to pick out the ring with well-timed strokes. At 42–3, Sussex were in a hole and Hampshire’s grip tightened.

What Sussex produced next, however, was spirited and entertaining. James Bunday and Eddie Spence chose counter-attack as their method, and for a breathless two-over burst they rattled 40 runs, puncturing length and unsettling fields. It was bold, it was necessary, and it sparked the afternoon’s most joyful passage for the visitors. Bunday’s brisk 34 ended the stand, but the tone had been set, and Spence kept his foot down, picking off the small boundaries and threading gaps to tick off the batting bonus markers Sussex had targeted from the outset.

Spence’s innings became the heartbeat of the reply. He balanced clean hitting with smart rotation, punishing width and anything short enough to ride. The century loomed as he surged past fifty and then into the nineties at a rapid clip, but the fairytale finish stayed just out of reach. Dismissed for a superb 93 from 46 balls, seven short of what would have been a richly deserved hundred. He left having done a valuable job for his side, both in points accrued and in the injection of belief it provided a patched-up XI. Around him, wickets continued to fall as Hampshire’s attack, backed by tidy ground fielding and safe hands, kept chipping away. The tail swung in support of the bonus point mission, but the chase closed at 186 all out, a long way shy of the target and testament to Hampshire’s professionalism on the day.

For Sussex, the defeat stung but did not strip the afternoon of positives. Challen’s debut wicket, the intent shown by Bunday, and Spence’s commanding 93 were all markers of character. The side stuck to their plan under duress, collected maximum batting bonus points, and found ways to compete despite an injury list that would stretch any squad in the competition. Context matters, too: the schedule rarely offers sympathy, and to confront a power-packed Hampshire on a ground with a 35-yard leg-side rope was an exam many full-strength attacks would have struggled to pass.

The broader picture still reads encouragingly. Two games in, Sussex sit second on the D40 Quest - South table and have earned the right to see next weekend’s clash with Surrey at The Saffrons, Eastbourne, as a springboard. A win there would reassert momentum, confidence and set the course for the rest of the season. The template is clear: get fit bodies back, keep the front-foot intent with the bat, and harness the resilience shown here into sharper, more disciplined spells with the ball. On a different ground, with a fuller complement of bowlers, this group has already shown it can match and outplay opponents.

Hampshire were excellent - clinical at the top, ruthless in the middle, and composed in the field, and they fully earned the points. But Sussex’s day contained enough substance to carry forward: a debut to remember, a counter-attacking partnership that lit up the chase, and a near-miss century that underlined both potential and purpose. Roll on Eastbourne.

Report courtesy of Elliot Brown (Vice-Captain) 

Sean Hunt was the hero for Sussex Sharks as they defeated Kent Spitfires by seven wickets with 16 balls to spare.

Hunt had a hand in the first six wickets to fall as Kent were restricted to 133 for eight in their 20 overs. And his bowling figures of three for nine were the third most economical by a Sussex bowler after Robin Martin-Jenkins and current bowling coach James Kirtley, who both achieved their figures against Hampshire in 2004, only the second year of the competition.

Hunt, who also took three catches, looked out of sorts on Friday when, returning from a long injury lay-off, he made his Vitality Blast debut against Leicestershire and conceded 37 runs and bowled five wides.

This was a disappointing result for the Spitfires, who had won three out of four matches and had beaten Sussex by seven wickets at Canterbury two weeks earlier. The Sharks had also been beaten in their previous four fixtures.

Keith Dudgeon dismissed Harrison Ward with only the second ball of the innings when the Sharks embarked on their modest chase.

But John Simpson gave the innings impetus with seven fours in his 33 and Dan Hughes, supported by Jack Leaning and Oli Carter, played the anchor role with a 37-ball 41 not out to see his side home with comfort.  

Hunt had Sussex a wonderful start with a double wicket maiden in only the third over of the match. First, he removed Daniel Bell-Drummond’s middle stump with a ball that shaped in and may have kept a little low.

Four balls later he had Zak Crawley caught by Tom Alsop at backward point for a duck. Crawley, with 75, was the man who had hurried the Spitfires to victory at Canterbury.

In the next over it was Hunt the fielder who struck, catching Kent captain Sam Billings at short fine-leg for a duck. At the end of the six-over powerplay Kent were 33 for three.

In the next over Hunt took his third wicket when he had former Sussex player Harry Finch caught at mid-off for 27 to make it 34 for four and the Spitfires had reached only 51 at the halfway stage of their innings.

A sensible partnership by Joe Denly and Chris Benjamin added fifty runs for the fifth wicket before Benjamin was caught by Hunt at short fine-leg off former Kent man Jack Leaning for 22. And in the next over it was 87 for six as Hunt – this time at backward-point - caught Grant Stewart off Danny Briggs.

Kent lost their seventh wicket at 106 and for the first time Hunt had nothing to do with it, Hughes taking the catch at long-off from the bowling of  Sussex captain Tymal Mills to dismiss Denly off the last ball of the 17th over.

Denly’s 34-ball 42, with one four and two sixes, was a fine innings in the circumstances and some late blows by  Dudgeon gave the Kent innings something close to respectability.

It's a quick turnaround for the Sharks at Hove and another opportunity to find a win as Kent Spitfires make the short hop across the border for more Vitality Blast action.

A final slice of T20 cricket before the whites and red ball return, the Sharks search to stop the four-game losing skid when the Spitfires make the short journey to Hove on Sunday.

Friday saw another difficult showing as both the men and women succumbed to defeat to Leicestershire Foxes in a doubleheader. There was promise again in the powerplay: Harrison Ward smacking his career-best T20 score of 69 before another middle-order collapse restricted the Sharks to a score of 179. It was ultimately a target too low as Sussex look for a first home win of the campaign.

Team News

It's just the one change in Paul Farbrace's squad from Friday, with Charlie Tear coming in for Fynn Hudson-Prentice.

Henry Crocombe and James Coles have both been featuring for England Lions and will also be absentees for this fixture, whilst Tom Clark and Brad Currie both continue to miss out through injury.

Men's Squad: Alsop, Briggs, Carson, Carter, Hughes, Hunt, Lamb, Leaning, Mills (c), Price, Simpson (wk), Tear, Thomas, Ward

The Opposition 

It's been a bright start to the competition for Adam Hollioake's side who sit nicely in second despite having played two games fewer than first-placed Hampshire and third-placed Surrey.

Losing one of their four matches - that coming at home to Essex - the Spitfires have recorded comfortable wins over Surrey at the Oval and Middlesex at Lord's, outside of claiming an impressive victory over the Sharks courtesy of a fine Zak Crawley innings.

They've looked good with the bat: Daniel Bell-Drummond, Sam Billings and Crawley all in good touch, with Tawanda Muyeye looking to return to the side following a spell out on the sidelines with concussion. Overseas Dian Forrester has looked good with both bat and ball, but will miss this match as he features for South Africa A. Another new addition, Jake Lintott, claimed excellent figures of 3-19 last time out against Surrey, whilst seamer Matt Milnes has improved with each game.

Previous Encounters

It's back-to-back victories for the Spitfires against the Sharks in this competition after Kent's win just a couple of weeks ago at Canterbury in a game that, at one moment, looked certain to fall in favour of Sussex.

The two sides have met in the Vitality Blast on 39 occasions, with Kent now winning 19 of those matches, two ahead of Sussex's 17 victories. The last meeting between the two counties in T20 cricket at Hove was a thriller, and one that ultimately led to the Sharks missing out on a spot in the Quarter Finals at the expense of the Spitfires - Joey Evison's 48 off 24 sealing a win in a remarkable chase for the visitors.

How to Watch

You can watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Centre (on our website). You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. 

The game gets underway at 2.30pm. 

Tickets

Tickets for this Sunday's clash can be purchased here.

Women’s Cricket Flourishes at The Lacuna Sports Festival

The County Ground, Hove, played host to a vibrant celebration of Women’s Cricket on Sunday 31st May as the Lacuna Sports Women’s Soft Ball Cricket Festival brought together 12 teams from across Sussex.

The festival, sponsored by Lacuna Sports, was designed to support clubs looking to grow the women’s game by recruiting new players, providing valuable match experience, creating lasting memories and providing opportunities for networking with other clubs. The event welcomed a mixture of established and emerging teams, including three brand-new teams playing their first-ever competitive matches and two more teams that have only launched this season.

Throughout the morning, players enjoyed a packed programme of soft ball cricket, with the emphasis firmly on participation, enjoyment and soaking up the atmosphere provided from the stands by friends and family. 

One young spectator said;

Watching Mum smash the ball around is great but I can't believe she's played here before me.

The festival provided an ideal platform for new cricketers to experience Cricket in a welcoming and supportive environment while clubs shared ideas and experiences about developing their women’s sections.

Sponsors, Lacuna Sports, showcased a range of Women’s Cricket clothing and accessories during the event, alongside examples of their popular sublimated teamwear, giving clubs and players the opportunity to explore products specifically designed for the women’s game. The winning team would be presented with a voucher for 10 team shirts, helping them springboard from this event into regular cricket as a team.

Following the group stages, half of the outfield was handed over to Sussex Sharks Women and Glamorgan Women as they prepared for their Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 fixture later in the afternoon. Meanwhile, attention turned to the festival’s knockout stages on the remaining half of the outfield. Thanks were expressed in the presentation speech, from the Sussex Cricket Foundation and the clubs involved, to both Sussex, Glamorgan the grounds team, who were hugely supportive and accommodating of what is an important event in the calendar.

The semi-finals featured four impressive teams: Brighton Birds (Brighton & Hove Cricket Club), Crawley Eagles, Lingfield Cricket Club and Ansty Firecrackers. After a series of closely contested matches, Crawley Eagles emerged victorious, claiming the festival trophy and their generous prize.

The trophy was presented by Katy and Al from Lacuna Sports, who shared how proud and privileged they were to be the namesake of such a celebration of Women's Cricket; bringing the tournament to a close and highlighting the continued growth and enthusiasm surrounding Women’s Recreational Cricket.

To round off the experience, participating teams were invited to watch the Sussex Sharks Women versus Glamorgan from the comfort of the Dean Wilson Boundary Rooms, providing players with an opportunity to see elite Women’s Cricket up close.

The festival also served as a celebration of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. With more women and girls taking up the game than ever before, the event demonstrated the exciting future of Women’s Cricket and the important role that clubs, sponsors and volunteers play in making that growth possible.

The Lacuna Sports Women’s Soft Ball Cricket Festival once again underlined the continued growth of Women’s Cricket across Sussex and the opportunities available for players and clubs to be part of that journey. Whether you are looking to pick up a bat for the first time, return to the game or develop a new women’s or girls’ section at your club, there has never been a better time to get involved and help drive the game forward.

For more information about getting involved in Women’s Cricket, please contact the Sussex Cricket Foundation, womenandgirls@sussexcricket.co.uk.

Sussex duo James Coles and Henry Crocombe have been selected for the England Lions' three-match 50-over series against South Africa A.

Crocombe was recently part of the Lions squad for the four day series, taking 4-65 in the first innings at Beckenham. While Coles impressed for the Lions back in February in their tour to the UAE to play Pakistan Shaheens.

The pair will now join up with the Lions ahead of the three-match 50-over series which begins tomorrow at Grace Road.

Full ECB Press Release:

A 17-player squad has been selected for the England Lions’ three-match 50-over series against South Africa A, which begins in Leicester on Friday.

England Lions squad (50-over series):
James Coles (Sussex)

Noah Cornwell (Middlesex)
Jordan Cox (Essex)
Mason Crane (Glamorgan)
Henry Crocombe (Sussex)
Scott Currie (Hampshire)
Caleb Falconer (Middlesex)
Eddie Jack (Hampshire)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
Ben Mayes (Hampshire)
Ben McKinney (Durham)
Dan Mousley (Warwickshire)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
James Rew (Somerset)
Thomas Rew (Somerset)
Asa Tribe (Glamorgan)

The squad includes six players who were a part of the recently-concluded four-day series – Henry Crocombe, Eddie Jack, Ben Mayes, Ben McKinney, Dan Mousley and Asa Tribe.

Rehan Ahmed and James Rew join from the England Men’s Test squad with the former in line to play in front of his home fans at Uptonsteel Grace Road in the series opener.

England Lions v South Africa A, 50-over series schedule:
Friday 5 June: Uptonsteel Grace Road, Leicester
Sunday 7 June: New Road, Worcester
Tuesday 9 June: New Road, Worcester

A first Vitality Blast Doubleheader of the campaign at Hove awaits on Friday as both Sussex Men and Sussex Women take to the field, playing host to Leicestershire Foxes.

Tuesday was a difficult night for Paul Farbrace's side at Hampshire's Utilita Bowl as the Sharks slipped to a third consecutive defeat in the competition despite putting themselves in a fine position during the run chase.

Keeping the host's total down to a reachable target of 174, the Sharks' riposte was impressive: Harrison Ward and Dan Hughes blasting Sussex to 67-0 off 5.5 overs, before the collapse arrived. After the powerplay, the Sharks slipped to 122-9 before a late Henry Crocombe flurry with the bat took them to 144 before being bowled out. A frustrating result following prior defeats to Kent Spitfires and Middlesex.

Alexia Walker's side have faced similar misfortune in the Vitality Blast, still searching for that first win in the competition. They came mightily close to victory on Sunday, however, against a strong Glamorgan Women team. Having posted a strong score of 166-5, it was duly chased down with just two balls to spare. Mollie Adams is perhaps the most in-form player in the tournament, having recorded her third half-century in as many Blast matches on Sunday with a majestic score of 80.

Heartbreak, yet a performance to be proud of. Friday's doubleheader, then, provides a perfect opportunity for both Sharks sides to gain some momentum and keep their hopes of advancing deeper into the competition alive.

Team News

Paul Farbrace has named a 14-player squad for the hosting of the Foxes, with Sean Hunt pushing for a first start of the 2026 season following the injury he sustained before the campaign began. 

Henry Crocombe and James Coles have both been selected by England Lions and so are unavailable for this fixture, whilst Tom Clark and Brad Currie both miss out through injury.

Men's Squad: Alsop, Briggs, Carson, Carter, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Hunt, Lamb, Leaning, Mills (c), Price, Simpson (wk), Thomas, Ward

Meanwhile, Alexia Walker has picked a 12-player squad for her team's respective fixture at Hove, with Sophie Beck and Phoebe Wilkinson, Darcey Clarke coming in for Shristi Patil, Kali-Ann Docherty and Nancy Harman.

Women's Squad: Adams (wk), Beck, Clarke, Collis, Green (c), Johnson, Lewis, Mullins, O'Neill, Stanley, Tulloch, Wilkinson

The Opposition | Leicestershire Foxes

Alfonso Thomas' Foxes head to Hove with an identical record to that of the Sharks: one win, three defeats. 

Similarly rooted to the bottom of their group after four matches, victory for either side could prove crucial as we approach the end of the opening block of Blast fixtures. Though the Foxes are within touching distance with the rest of the pack.

That lone win for the Foxes came in their previous fixture: a nail-biting two-wicket win over Lancashire Lightning that saw them chase the set target of 146 on the penultimate delivery of the match. Overseas Australian middle-order batter Ashton Turner has started well, leading his side in the run department at an average of 31.

Meanwhile, with the ball, Josh Davey and Ben Green have been the most effective: taking five wickets apiece, with the former averaging just 14.20.

Leicestershire Foxes Women

Having played a game fewer than the Sharks, the Foxes arrive into Friday's fixture with one win and one defeat. That victory came in convincing style against Middlesex Women - captain Ellen Watson seeing the Foxes home with a quickfire 28 from 25 deliveries. They've got talent in the batting lineup, and in the bowling department. Emma Thatcher was electric with the ball in the opening match of the T20 campaign, taking four wickets for just 18 runs.

Previous Encounters

This is the first meeting between the Sharks and the Foxes in T20 cricket, with this fixture arising following the ECB's decision to change the format from two groups of nine to three groups of six, as every county will face two teams from different groups.

How to Watch

You can watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Centre (on our website). You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. 

The women's match gets underway at 3pm, with the men's match commencing in the evening, at 7pm. 

Tickets

Tickets for this Friday Doubleheader can be purchased here.

Liam Dawson grabbed a back-to-back before a miserly bowling return sent Hampshire Hawks to a fourth straight victory in the Vitality Blast men’s competition.

Dawson followed his 76 against Surrey with an innings-saving 52 to give Hampshire a defendable 173 for six.

The left-arm spinner then tied the Sussex Sharks middle-order in knots with three for 20, with Chris Wood and James Fuller picking up two wickets.

Teenager Manny Lumsden rounded things off to also take two as Hampshire moved four points clear at the summit of the South Group, whereas Sussex remain bottom with a solitary win and three losses in a row.

Everything Tymal Mills touched in the early stages turned to gold, as Sussex started both innings on top.

He won the toss, got every fielding adjustment perfect and got Hawks’ dangerman James Vince out in the second over.

Mills went for just 13 runs in his two powerplay overs, but that was eclipsed by James Coles’ unmovable darts – which went for seven runs and yorked Toby Albert.

Tom Price and Danny Briggs backed those overs up by dismissing Tom Prest and Joe Weatherley – the former to a stunning caught and bowled – as Sussex suppressed the hosts to 42 for four after seven overs.

Dawson’s elevation to No.5 against Surrey saw him strike his first T20 fifty for three years. Another promotion saw identical results.

He swung his first ball for four into the legside and barely gave the bowlers a break from then on, as he and Tristan Stubbs recalibrated the innings.

The pair put on 66 to boss the middle-overs, with Dawson reaching back-to-back fifties.

They had both gone by the end of the 17th over, Dawson to give Mills his second, but Fuller and Hilton Cartwright lifted the Hawks to 173 with 37 runs in the final three overs.

The momentum stayed with the batters when the Sharks started their innings as Daniel Hughes pumped Fuller for 17 and then Harrison Ward took Scott Currie for the same two overs later.

Sussex clearly won the powerplay again, thumping 67, but a wicket with the last ball of the restrictions – Ward leg before to Fuller – started to send the momentum back towards Hampshire.

Where Fuller’s first 11 balls had been dispatched for 37, his next seven returned two for three – as he picked up Tom Alsop on his middle overs return.

Hughes and James Coles fell, caught off Manny Lumsden and wonderfully caught and bowled by Dawson, in successive balls to continue the Hawks taking control.

That turned to a dictatorship of the middle when Jack Leaning was stumped off Dawson, and John Simpson was caught and bowled by Currie in quick-fire scalps.

Hampshire rounded things off in style as Wood had Price nicking off, Mills bowled to give Dawson his third before Lumsden castled Henry Crocombe to complete the 29-run win.