Sussex vs Derbyshire: Day One Match Report

Australian Daniel Hughes made 144 as second division leaders Sussex established a strong position after day one against Derbyshire at The 1st Central County Ground.

Derbyshire elected to bowl first then saw Hughes and Tom Haines put on 196 in just 36 overs. Haines made 72 and after Hughes departed Tom Alsop hit an unbeaten 69 as Sussex closed on 391 for 4.

It was just the response they would have wanted after losing only their second game of the season to promotion rivals Yorkshire last week.

They began the game six points clear of second-placed Middlesex and nine ahead of Yorkshire, who are playing each other at Headingley, but three of their remaining four matches are at Hove where they won three out of four this season and know the conditions well. 

Once again there was a good covering of grass on the pitch which would have influenced Derbyshire skipper David Lloyd's decision to insert Sussex but his seamers, armed with the Kookaburra ball which is being used for the next two rounds of Vitality County Championship fixtures, struggled for consistency, particularly before lunch, and Hughes and Haines cashed in. 

It wasn’t until deep into the second session, when spinners David Lloyd and Jack Morley operated in tandem, that the run rate dipped below five an over but by then Sussex had taken control.  

Hughes offered one chance on 35 when he drove at Zak Chappell, but Derbyshire skipper Wayne Madsen couldn’t hold on to the edge diving to his right at second slip, and by lunch the two left-handers had plundered 161 from 28 overs, targeting the short boundary on the scoreboard side.

Hughes duly eased to the ninth first-class hundred of his career just after lunch and it was a surprise when he fell for 144 off 142 balls. 

South African Daryn Dupavillon had bowled a wide earlier in the over when he speared another delivery outside off stump which Hughes could have ignored, but instead under-edged to keeper Brooke Guest. 

Hughes hit 18 fours and three sixes, but it was a somewhat tame end to an excellent innings by the 35-year-old from Sydney, who has already confirmed that he will return to Sussex next season. 

It was also the 1500th century scored against Derbyshire in all formats. 

Haines had already departed for a fluent 72 when Chappell tempted him into a loose drive and this time Madsen held on at slip while Tom Clark, one of the five left-handers in Sussex’s top six, squandered a promising start when left-armer spinner Morley found extra bounce and the edge looped to slip high off the bat. 

But by then Tom Alsop was easing to his seventh half-century of the season as he added 66 for the fourth wicket with James Coles, who looked untroubled until he played across the line to off-spinner Lloyd. 

Alsop has yet to convert any of those fifties into a hundred but he won’t have a better opportunity when he resumes tomorrow, having so far put on 39 for the fifth wicket with captain John Simpson, who was dropped by Madsen off Dupavillon on 21 late in the day. 

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Reaction from Daniel Hughes after his magnificent century on day one 

Sussex vs Derbyshire: Match Preview

Sussex return to The 1st Central County Ground tomorrow in the hunt for promotion to Division One of the Vitality County Championship, with Derbyshire the visitors. Paul Farbrace has named a 14-player squad for the game, which starts at 11am.

Squad

Alsop, Carson, Carter, Clark, Coles, Crocombe, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Hunt, Karvelas, Robinson, Simpson* (wk), Unadkat

Ticket Information

You can purchase tickets for tomorrow's action by visiting our ticketing website.

How to Watch

If you can't make it to the game tomorrow, you can catch every ball, free of charge, via the Match Day Centre on our livestream. The first ball is at 11am. 

Former Sharks VI Player to Represent Team GB at Paralympics

Former Sussex Sharks VI and England international cricketer, Sam Murray, is set to represent Team GB at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, which gets underway today.

Sam will represent GB in the rowing and will follow in the footsteps of another former Shark, Rob Williams, who played for Team GB's Futsal team at the London 2012 Paralympics. 

Everyone at Sussex Cricket would like to congratulate Sam and wish him the best of luck for the games! #GOSBTS

Sussex Women Quintet Selected for England 

Danni Wyatt, Freya Kemp and Linsey Smith have all been selected for the England Women's ICC T20 World Cup squad, which takes place in the UAE in October. Georgia Adams, Paige Scholfield and Freya Kemp have also been included in the England Women's squad for a bilateral white-ball series against Ireland in September.

England Women will play three ODI's and two IT20s in Belfast and Dublin respectively, before they make the trip to the UAE for the ICC T20 World Cup.

Congratulations Danni, Freya, Linsey, Georgia and Paige! #GOSBTS

T20 Quarter-Final Packages Selling Fast

With general admission tickets for our T20 quarter-final against Lancashire on Wednesday 4th September sold out, the only way to get yourself to Hove for a special night of cricket is with one of our outstanding hospitality packages. But they are selling quickly!

All of our Curry and Cricket packages are now sold out, meaning the only spaces left to book are in our Martlet BBQ and All Inclusive packages. 

Matlet BBQ Package | £140pp + VAT

• Enjoy the action from exclusive Martlet Hospitality Suite
• Outside decked viewing area on the boundary's edge
• Welcome drink on arrival
• Two course BBQ buffet - BBQ main course with a selection of sharing platter sides and a dessert station
• Post-match snack
• Private inclusive bar - house beer, lager, cider, wine and soft drinks until the start of play

All Inclusive Package | £155pp + VAT

• Enjoy the action from the Cow Corner hospitality area
• Outside decked viewing area on the boundary's edge 
• Welcome drink on arrival
• Three course meal 
• Post-match snack
• Private inclusive bar for the entirety of the match

Ready to book? Visit our ticketing site now to book a special package, for a special night! 

Sussex Sharks VI Secure 2024 BCEW National Division 1 Title

Sussex Sharks VI have officially been crowned champions of the 2024 Blind Cricket England and Wales National Division 1, after their top of the table title clash with London Metro yesterday was rained off. 

On Saturday 24th August the Sharks travelled to London Metro with just a single point lead for the final game of the league campaign. Metro had pipped Sussex last year and the two sides historically have put on entertaining matches. 

Sadly, the weather had other ideas and 10 hours of solid rain left the pitch completely waterlogged and no play was possible, meaning that Sussex are crowned champions.

Sussex Sharks Captain, Dan Field said: "Naturally its not the way we would have wanted to win the title but we had earned our position at the top. 

"The only 2 games we haven't won saw our opponents 9 and 8 wickets down respectively, hanging on to get the draw. 

"I am enormously proud of our team who give everything for each other and we are excited that there are still two trophies to win".

The Sharks travel to Northampton CCC on Saturday 31st August to contest the Heindrich Swanapoel Memorial Cup against Northants, who they defeated earlier this year to win the delayed 2023 cup. 

The final competition takes place at Wolverhampton on 21st September when holders Sussex will contest the T20 Cup and hope to complete a historic treble. 

Sussex Sharks Vice-Captain, Ian "Tiny" Morris said: "We are taking nothing for granted, Northants gave us a  really tough game a  couple of weeks ago and we will need to be at our best to beat them. 

"Its a cliché but we really are taking this season one game at a time".

Yorkshire vs Sussex: Day Four Match Report

Yorkshire dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s on a four-wicket Vitality County Championship victory over Division Two pacesetters Sussex at Scarborough during the fourth morning to boost their hopes of promotion. 

Resuming on 28 for two from 10 overs in pursuit of 103, the home side clinched a 21-point haul in exactly an hour’s play despite losing four wickets to off-spinner Jack Carson.

Opener Adam Lyth top-scored with 40 as Yorkshire claimed their third successive Championship victory dating back to June, consigning the league leaders to only a second defeat in 10 matches this season. Excellent Carson claimed his four consolatory wickets to finish with a career best nine for 120 in the match. 

Yorkshire, in third, started this fixture 27 points behind Sussex but are now only nine adrift with four rounds remaining.   

The White Rose county have won three Championship matches in a row for the first time since the early stages of 2021 when they beat Kent and Sussex away and Northamptonshire at Headingley.

Upon clinching victory, Yorkshire moved to second in the in-play Division Two table and would remain there later today should Middlesex fail to beat Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors’ School.

Yorkshire and Middlesex face each other at Headingley from Thursday. Sussex, meanwhile, host Derbyshire at Hove next as they look to bounce back from a first defeat since May. 

Lyth set the tone in the day’s third over when he took back-to-back boundaries off Jaydev Unadkat’s left-arm seam - one flicked to fine-leg and the other cut through backward point. 

He then pulled Carson over midwicket and cut Ollie Robinson over backward point for sixes in the following two overs, taking the score to 59 for two. The writing was on the wall for Sussex.

Although Lyth led the way, he was importantly helped out by nightwatchman Dan Moriarty, who contributed 17 to a third-wicket partnership of 51. 

They came together at 18 for two late on day three and extinguished Sussex’s slim hopes of a turnaround.

Moriarty, Yorkshire’s regular number 11, was lbw to Carson - 69 for three -   before the same bowler had Lyth caught behind down leg at the second attempt by Simpson with a further seven runs added to the total. 

Carson also trapped James Wharton lbw to bring Jonny Bairstow to the crease with only eight to win, and he holed out to deep midwicket for a two-ball duck. 

Captain Jonny Tattersall hit the winning runs.

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Reaction from skipper, John Simpson, after defeat at Scarborough

Yorkshire vs Sussex: Day Three Match Report 

Yorkshire are closing in on victory over Vitality County Championship Division Two leaders Sussex following Ben Coad’s new ball five-for at Scarborough, setting up a victory target of 103 late on day three. 

Sussex started the day on 26 without loss in their second innings, 111 runs behind the league’s third-placed side, and were bowled out for 239 as seamer Coad returned five for 69. His wickets came with the first and second new balls.

Half-centuries for Tom Alsop and captain John Simpson, who top-scored with 67, meant the visitors were not over-run. But they realistically needed more to defy a Yorkshire attack who kept on coming at them. 

The hosts then closed the day on 28 for two from 10 overs and require 75 more to seal a third win in as many four-day games. 

Sussex were teetering at lunch against their third-placed rivals, 66 for three in their second innings and still 71 runs in arrears. Only their second defeat of 2024 looked like it might come quickly. 

However, Alsop with 61 - his second fifty of the match - and Simpson held things up with a fifth-wicket partnership of 85, compiled through the majority of the afternoon. 

A 45-minute rain delay from 11.10am cut 10 overs from the day’s allocation of 103.

Yorkshire still had enough time before lunch to prise out three Sussex wickets.

George Hill claimed two of them with his seam after Fin Bean had helped Coad strike with a stunning one-handed leaping catch above his head at third slip to remove the Australian opener Daniel Hughes.

That wicket had come in the opening stages of the day, before the rain. 

Afterwards, Hill had Tom Haines caught by Bean at first slip and Tom Clark caught behind by Jonny Bairstow - his first catch of the match. 

By now, Sussex were faced with a pitch showing significant signs of invariable bounce. Clark, for example, faced balls which rapped him on the gloves from Jordan Thompson and shot past his ankle from Hill en-route to 17.

Thompson himself struck in the early stages of the afternoon when he uprooted James Coles’ leg-stump - 84 for four in the 36th over.

But that paved the way for the Sussex fightback, with Alsop and Simpson - their two most prolific batters this season - wiping out the remaining 53-run deficit and claiming a lead.

Largely, they advanced with caution, though Alsop, who drove nicely, did reverse sweep one of his boundaries off Dan Moriarty’s left-arm spin.  

By the time tea arrived, Sussex were 164 for four, 27 ahead and Alsop had reached a 125-ball fifty.

Their partnership was closing in on three figures when Alsop was caught behind at the second attempt by Bairstow on the cut. 

And when Fynn Hudson-Prentice was run out at the striker’s end having been sent back by Simpson, with Jonny Tattersall from backward point and Bairstow combining, Sussex were 179 for six in the 78th over, leading by 42 and with the new ball on the horizon. 

That new ball worked immediately for Yorkshire, with Coad getting Jack Carson caught behind. 

At 188 for seven, the earlier good work of Alsop and Simpson was threatening to be undermined. So it proved. 

As Simpson reached his fifty off 129 balls, Ollie Robinson clubbed a quick 28, only for him to be caught behind off Coad. Bairstow’s fourth catch of the day left Sussex 226 for eight, leading by 89. 

Coad had Jaydev Unadkat caught at mid-on shortly afterwards before bowling Simpson, who tried to ramp a second six as he was shorn of partners, to wrap things up with his 35th wicket of the campaign. No bowler has taken more in Division Two this season.

Unadkat and Robinson then had Bean and Thompson caught in the slips - 18 for two - to at least give Sussex a glimmer of hope that they can achieve what would be a remarkable turnaround.

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Reaction from Paul Farbrace at stumps on day three

Yorkshire vs Sussex: Day Two Match Report

England’s Jonny Bairstow contributed a combative 57 - his first first-class fifty since last July - as Yorkshire took charge of their Vitality County Championship clash with promotion rivals Sussex after two days at Scarborough. 

Bairstow came in immediately after lunch with Yorkshire 104 for three in reply to Sussex’s 189 all out, the visitors’ first innings wrapped up in the day’s second over.

The 34-year-old shared 90 with fourth-wicket partner Will Luxton, the fledgling batter whose 59 represented his career best score in only his fourth appearance. 

Sussex off-spinner Jack Carson claimed an excellent season’s best five for 83 in 20 overs as Yorkshire were bowled out for 326, a lead of 137, and the Hove county closed their second innings on 26 without loss from 10 overs.

Bairstow’s innings was what Yorkshire and England fans have come to expect, but not without luck as he was dropped on 38 and 51.

Bairstow was quickly into the battle. 

After driving his first ball for four down the ground off Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Robinson thought he had him caught behind on four.

There was no doubt Bairstow won today’s battle, and Yorkshire, who have had the best of batting conditions, could go on and claim victory in the war with the Division Two leaders over the next couple of days.    

During his afternoon innings, including seven fours and a six in 72 balls, Bairstow successfully drove two boundaries off Robinson, he lofted Hudson-Prentice’s medium pace over mid-on’s head twice and pulled Hunt for six two balls after Robinson’s drop.

While all the focus will be on Bairstow, who last posted a red ball fifty in the final Test of last summer’s Ashes at the Oval in late July, Luxton was just as good but in more watchful fashion during his 130 balls.

The fact he didn’t score in the afternoon’s opening 50 minutes, stuck on 27, indicated that.

There had been some doubt as to whether play would start on time due to a gale-force wind. But it did, and four morning wickets fell.

The first saw Jordan Thompson trap Hunt lbw to wrap up the Sussex innings and claim his third wicket, leaving Tom Alsop unbeaten on 86.

Indian left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat left Yorkshire at 31 for two as Adam Lyth played on for 24 before getting Fin Bean, the other home opener, caught behind.

James Wharton and Luxton shared a dashing 73, with the former pulling Hunt for six.

But Hudson-Prentice limited Wharton’s contribution to 40 when, in the final over of the morning, he had him caught at first slip - 104 for three in the 26th over. 

That brought Bairstow to the crease, and when he departed before tea - lbw to Carson’s off-spin as he played back - he thought it may have been outside the line of off-stump.

Umpire Tom Lungley disagreed, and Yorkshire were 194 for four in the 48th over.

Carson added three more evening wickets as Luxton was bowled, Jonny Tattersall lbw and George Hill caught at mid-on, leaving the hosts at 248 for seven in the 66th over - a lead of 59.

Robinson had Matthew Revis caught in the slips for 34 and Dan Moriarty caught behind to wrap up Yorkshire’s innings. 

Sandwiched in between, Carson bowled a paddling Ben Coad. But Sussex were hurt by a swashbuckling 44 not out with four sixes as Thompson built the Yorkshire lead.

Bad light later cut Sussex’s second innings short by five overs.

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Reaction from Jack Carson after taking five wickets on day two 

Members' Forum: Monday 9th September 

A Members' Forum will take place on Monday 9th September after the opening days play between Sussex and Glamorgan at The 1st Central County Ground. 

The forum will be hosted in Cow Corner, with Paul Farbrace, Jon Filby and Pete Fitzboydon in attendance for a Q&A.

Complimentary tea and coffee will be available. Members are advised to bring their membership cards with them.