Thursday's defeat at the hands of Somerset leaves Grant Flower's Sharks with plenty of work (and a little bit of good fortune) if they are to qualify from the Metro Bank One Day Cup group stage. Sussex will need to win their two remaining fixtures and hope that results go their way if they are to succeed. Sunday's opponents? The table toppers Yorkshire. 

Somerset's 90-run victory ended a strong run of three consecutive wins for the Sharks in the One Day Cup - a campaign that has ebbed and flowed somewhat. But as we reach the penultimate match, there is still hope, still a chance, that Sussex's Metro Bank campaign will continue deeper into August. Victory on Sunday is essential.

Team News

Grant Flower has named a 14-player squad for the visit of Yorkshire.

Carson, Carter, Clark, Crocombe, Foreman, Haines, Henry, Hudson-Prentice, Hunt, Ibrahim, Lamb, Lenham, Simpson (c), Tear.

Troy Henry makes his first appearance in a Sussex squad since signing his rookie contract, whilst Ari Karvelas is unavailable having joined Surrey on loan for the remainder of the One Day Cup campaign.

The Opposition

It's tight at the top. And Yorkshire are in a fine position to qualify with two matches remaining. Nothing is certain yet, but as the finish line comes into view it is Sunday's opponents who hold the edge. 

They've looked good for it, too. On three occasions in this group stage have they bowled a side out for fewer than 180 runs - Ben Cliff and George Hill the pick of their bowlers. And with the bat Iman-ul-Haq has been irrepressible. Racking up the runs at a real pace, he is the prized wicket for Sussex if they are to find success.

Tickets

Not secured your seat yet? You can purchase yours via this link.

Timings

Sunday's match with Yorkshire will commence at 11am, with gates opening at 9.30am.

Food & Drink

Supporters are permitted to bring food and drinks into the ground, however alcohol is NOT permitted. 

Silly Point Beer Festival 2.0

Sussex Cricket is delighted to confirm the return of the Silly Point Beer Festival – back for its second edition following the success of last week’s launch event. 

Entry to the Silly Point Beer Festival is included with your match ticket, while beer wristbands will be available to purchase on the day, giving access to six half-pints from the featured range.

For more information, visit this link!

Sixes Social Cricket

If you've been to the ground recently you may have noticed our very own Sixes Social Cricket bar. If you haven't, then where have you been?! 

Our Sixes Social Cricket Bar will open for the duration of the match. Full to the brim with fantastic food and drink to fuel you up with the net session of your dreams. Take on the Sussex Sharks stars and test your six-hitting skills.

Sixes will also be showing live Premier League football during the day.

Head to the bar, located behind the Webtrends Optimize Sharks Stand tomorrow to book your net. 

Plus, if you fancy a cheeky drink after the game, Sixes will remain open until 1030pm.

Super 7 to represent Sussex at the Disability Premier League

Sussex Cricket is very proud to announce that following the ‘DPL Draft’ process earlier this year, seven Sussex based players will be representing the county in the 2025 edition of the Toyota Disability Premier League.

The 2025 season has been another incredibly successful one for Disability Cricket with great strides continuing to be made. 

Our ‘SEND Schools’ & ‘Super 1s’ participation programmes right through to our high-performance D40 and Visually Impaired squads are giving an increasing amount of people with additional needs and disabilities the opportunity to access the sport at a variety of levels. Demonstrated by a 50% growth in the Disability Pathway over the last 2 years.

The wider impact of this growth has been an ability to support our highest performing Disability Cricketers to excel, which has been borne out by selection for both the DPL and International honours. Most notably, Alfie Pyle and Liam O’Brien, who were selected for England in the Men’s Mixed Disability series against India, earlier this season and performed with great skill.

Supporting between 70 and 80 players across Sussex, the Pathway has seen some outstanding performances; including from our newly formed Super 9s 1st XI, who finished third in their inaugural year. The Sussex VI Sharks continue to go from strength to strength – already retaining their BCEW National League - Division 1 title, whilst also heading into the BCEW T20 Finals Day and Primary Club Heindrich Swanepoel Cup Final in the next few weeks. The latter will be hosted at The 1st Central County Ground on Saturday 6th September.

The players from the Pathway who will be representing the Martlets at the Toyota DPL:

Alfie Pyle – Tridents

Daniel Gee – Black Cats

Elliot Brown* – Hawks

Fred Bridges – Tridents

Jake Vosloo* – Hawks

Liam O’Brien – Tridents

Owen Piper – Black Cats

*Debut year at the DPL

Tom Belcher, Disability Cricket Manager said: 

2025 has been an outstanding year for all of us associated with Disability Cricket in Sussex.

"I know the coaching and management team are both excited and incredibly proud of the players selected to represent Sussex and their respective franchise teams in this year's Toyota DPL competition.”

The tournament begins on Sunday 24th August, with the first two rounds of matches taking place at the ECB Performance Centre, Loughborough University. Followed by two further weekends hosted at Worcester Norton CC, Worcester (Sunday 31st August) and Colwall CC, Malvern (Sunday 7th September) respectively.

To cap off the Toyota DPL, the showpiece final will once again be held at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on Wednesday 10 September – full details can be found in the ECB press release below.

Want to keep up to date with all fixtures and results over the next few weeks? Head over to the match centre area of the ECB website.

FULL ECB PRESS RELEASE: 30th JUNE

Toyota Disability Premier League Final 2025 to be held at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Toyota has been confirmed as the new title partner of the Disability Premier League, with the first Toyota Disability Premier League Final due to be held at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, on Wednesday 10 September 2025.

The match will be staged ahead of the first Vitality IT20 between England Men and South Africa Men and will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Toyota was announced as the new Principal Partner to the ECB in April, with a commitment to supporting England’s men’s, women’s and disability cricket teams. The partnership is also focused on fostering the growth of grassroots participation nationwide, encompassing all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

Under the shared vision to make cricket more accessible and inclusive, Toyota also becomes the first Official Champion of Disability Cricket and the title partner of the Toyota DPL.

Alongside growing the Toyota Disability Premier League tournament nationwide, Toyota and the ECB are committed to growing Disability Champion Clubs, with a view to expand participation beyond the men's teams. 

This includes a lens on women's grassroots initiatives to build a strong foundation for increased female participation at all levels.

It’s the second year in a row that Glamorgan CCC will host the Disability Premier League Final, having been the venue for Pirates’ victory over Tridents in 2024.

Emma Johnson, Toyota GB Marketing Director said: “As the ECB's Principal Partner for men’s, women’s, disability and grassroots cricket, we are pleased we can help, support and inspire both the current and next generation of disability team players, volunteers and fans who make disability cricket happen. At Toyota, mobility is at the heart of everything we do and through these initiatives, we’re helping more people enjoy cricket, be active and connect through sport.”

Ian Martin, ECB Head of Disability Cricket, said: “The DPL has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2022 and we’re thrilled that it is now the Toyota DPL. To have the backing of a global company like Toyota is incredibly meaningful for us and they’ll play a huge role in helping drive the disability game forward. Glamorgan did a fantastic job hosting the final in 2024 and we’re delighted to be back in September.”

ENDS

Mollie Adams, Lottie Curling and Eve O'Neill have all been selected to take part in the Super 4s event in Loughborough from Sunday 24th to Friday 29th August. 

This competition is designed to bring together the best academy players from around the country to play in three representative sides as well as an Ireland U19 side. 

Mollie and Lottie have been part of the Sussex Pathway since U11 and Eve joined Sussex Women this year as an exciting prospect who is part of the same Regional Academy as Mollie and Lottie. 

Alexia Walker, Women's Head Coach, said: "We are very pleased for these players to be recognised for their talent and high potential. They have all performed well for Sussex this year as well as in their academy fixtures. 

Mollie has scored well at the top of the order in 50 over cricket this year including her fantastic maiden Sussex century and continues to show great talent with the gloves. 

Lottie is demonstrating great skill with the ball this year and has had several very impactful spells for both Sussex and in academy fixtures. She bowls with pace and has the ability to swing the ball making her an exciting prospect. 

Eve is a highly talented leg spinner who has already had representative experience with England U19s when she was still 16yrs old and is excellent in the field as well as contributing vital middle order runs.

We wish them all well this week."

Somerset produced an unlikely victory over Sussex in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Hove, winning by 90 runs after being bowled out for a modest 243. It was their fourth victory in six matches.

                On a slow pitch that offered some sharp seam movement on occasions, but was far from unplayable, both sides were guilty of rash strokeplay, especially the Sussex Sharks when they lost four wicket for no runs in the course of eight deliveries.

       The Sharks were clear favourites at the halfway point of the match.  And they reinforced their position when they reached 60 for one at the end of the first 10-over powerplay, almost twice as many as Somerset had scored (33-3) at the same stage of their innings.  But then Sussex collapsed in a way that made their recent implosion against Lancashire, when they lost six wickets for 27 runs before winning a thrilling contest, look commonplace.

           From the start of the 11th over Charlie Tear flayed a wide delivery straight to cover.  Next ball, Fynn Hudson-Prentice missed a straight one and was lbw.  And three balls later captain John Simpson got one that cut back off the pitch and was also lbw. Tom Lammonby, who had made a three-ball duck when he had opened the Somerset innings, had bowled a three-wicket maiden.

           It got worse.  Tom Clark, who had batted impressively, lobbed the second delivery of the 12th over to mid-on and Sussex were 60 for five. Jack Carson, heroic in the recent wins over Kent and Lancashire, hinted at another rescue act with a vigorous 35 before pulling to midwicket, and when Oli Carter was caught in the same area, to make it 128 for eight, it was realistically all over. Lammonby took five wickets for the first time in any competition.

        The Somerset total had looked insufficient, and they were happy to get there after being 82 for five in the 20th over.  Their innings was revived by half-centuries from Josh Thomas and Fin Hill after the Rew brothers James and Thomas had both failed to build on promising starts.

          Somerset, who continued their rotation policy by bringing in Kian Roberts, Kasey Aldridge and Hill, made a frantic start to their innings.  Archie Vaughan was caught down the leg-side first ball and Sussex missed two more chances in the first two overs.  But they weren’t made to pay for their profligacy.  In the third over Lammonby was caught at slip off Sean Hunt, coming back into the side in place of Bertie Foreman, and it was 21 for three in the sixth over when Lewis Goldsworthy, surprised by the bounce achieved by Hudson-Prentice, could only fend the ball off to Henry Crocombe at square-leg.

           Once again Somerset were looking to the Rews to pull them round.  But captain James, attempting to turn Crocombe to leg, got a leading edge back to the bowler for just  29 and the same bowler jagged one back to bowl his younger brother through the gate for 30.

           At that stage significant recovery looked beyond an inexperienced Somerset side.  But they were transformed by a sixth wicket stand of 59 between Thomas and Hill.  Thomas, mixing bludgeoning blows with some sweetly timed drives – on a pitch where timing was difficult - was particularly impressive, stroking Crocombe square on the off-side to raise the hundred in the 24th over.  He reached his fifty from 54 balls when he pulled Hunt for six but was caught behind in the same over. A seventh wicket stand of 67 between Hill and Roberts maintained the Somerset recovery.

ECB Reports Network supported by Rothesay

In what was a steady start to the Metro Bank One Day Cup, three consecutive victories have given Sussex hope heading into the final three matches of the group stage. The aim? A top three finish. And they're just one victory away from being level with leaders Yorkshire. That matchup comes on Sunday. But first, another of the chasing pack, Somerset, head to Hove tomorrow.

So, how did we get here? The opening two matches spawned defeats, yet as Jack Carson and Archie Lenham fought for every run against Kent, the momentum shifted. Lancashire would be the next victim in a thriller of a match, before Charlie Tear's astonishing century guided the Sharks beyond the Steelbacks. Now, Sussex are a side firmly in contention.

Team News

Grant Flower has named a 13-player squad for the visit of Somerset tomorrow.

Carson, Carter, Clark, Crocombe, Foreman, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hunt, Ibrahim, Lamb, Lenham, Simpson (c), Tear.

The squad is unchanged from Sunday's blistering victory over Northamptonshire, with the exception of Ari Karvelas, who misses out.

The Opposition

Boasting one of the strongest squads in the competition, Somerset's One Day Cup record this campaign is identical to Sussex after the opening five rounds. With three matches to play, the question marks over who will qualify are still looming large overhead, and tomorrow's meeting at Hove could prove pivotal in removing some doubt.

A fast start in the competition saw Somerset claim back-to-back victories to start their One Day Cup season, but have since taken their foot off the accelerator a touch with two defeats in their previous three games. Despite this, James Rew is having an outstanding campaign with the bat: recording 283 runs from his five innings at the crease. And with the ball in hand, wickets have been thoroughly shared around. Alfie Ogborne, Jake Ball and Ben Green have all taken eight wickets, with the former taking 5/41 over Durham.

Tickets

Not secured your seat yet? Well, fear not! For tickets are still available for this mightily crucial clash, and you can purchase yours via this link.

Timings

Tomorrow's match will commence at 11am, with gates opening at 9.30am.

Food & Drink

Supporters are permitted to bring food and drinks into the ground, however alcohol is NOT permitted. 

Sixes Social Cricket

If you've been to the ground recently you may have noticed our very own Sixes Social Cricket bar. If you haven't, then where have you been?! 

Our Sixes Social Cricket Bar will open for the duration of the match. Full to the brim with fantastic food and drink to fuel you up with the net session of your dreams. Take on the Sussex Sharks stars and test your six-hitting skills.

Head to the bar, located behind the Webtrends Optimize Sharks Stand tomorrow to book your net. 

Plus, if you fancy a cheeky drink after the game, Sixes will remain open until 1030pm.

SCF Women's Soft Ball Cricket League Finals Day

This year’s SCF Women’s Soft Ball Cricket League saw 37 teams competing across nine groups, with each group winner progressing to the knockout stages. From there, the competition was whittled down to the final four, who met at Ansty Cricket Club on Sunday 17 August for Finals Day.

In the already very hot sun, the semi finals got underway at 11:30am when Crowhurst Park CC overcame Slinfold CC on the North Ground and Chichester Priory Park CC beat Southwater CC on the South Ground.

The final was a high-quality contest, with Chichester posting a total of 343 off the bat which was well-restricted by the taking of 7 wickets, reducing their nett total to 308. With a target of 309 and starting at 200 the first Crowhurst Park pair got their team quickly out of the blocks, adding 37 to the total in their 4 overs in what was shaping up to be a close game. 

Between powerful shots and fast singles from the batters in green, the wickets started to come more frequently for Chichester and they managed to keep the required run rate just out of Crowhurst Park’s reach, restricting them to a final net score of 267 and achieving a 41-run victory to secure the league title.

Thanks were given to everyone at clubs who the league happen at clubs, arranging fixtures, umpiring, scoring and of course playing. Thanks and applause were also extended to Ansty Cricket Club for hosting Finals Day and to their volunteers for their efforts on the day. 

Lara Johnson, our Cricket Development Officer who leads on Women’s Soft Ball Cricket, said “the standard of cricket here today has been outrageous, in the best way, these players and their clubs can all be very proud of what their teams have achieved this season.”

Congratulations to all four teams who reached Finals Day and to the 2025 Champions, Chichester Lionesses.

Sussex Cricket Announces ‘Silly Point Session 2.0’ for Bank Holiday Showdown

Sussex Cricket is delighted to confirm the return of the Silly Point Beer Festival – back for its second edition following the success of last week’s launch event. The first-ever Silly Point Beer Festival took place during the Metro Bank One Day Cup match between Sussex Sharks and Lancashire on Friday 15 August, and proved to be an instant hit with supporters.

Now, fans can look forward to Silly Point Beer Festival 2.0 at The Silly Point Pub on Sunday 24 August 2025, as Sussex Sharks take on Yorkshire in a highly anticipated Metro Bank One Day Cup fixture over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Building on the energy of last week’s debut, the festival return, bringing together top-class cricket, a wide range of beers, and a vibrant matchday atmosphere at The 1st Central County Ground.

Hosted in partnership with Laine Brewery Co., the festival will feature a line-up of local beers, alongside popular favourites from Heineken and Harvey’s Brewery. 

A selection of non-alcoholic options will also be available.

Entry to the Silly Point Beer Festival is included with your match ticket, while beer wristbands will be available to purchase on the day, giving access to six half-pints from the featured range.

“This is the perfect way to celebrate the Bank Holiday at Hove,” said Sam Graham, Director of Growth at Sussex Cricket.

“After the fantastic response to our first Silly Point Beer Festival last week, we’re thrilled to be bringing it back so soon – and making it even better for Sussex Sharks v Yorkshire.”

EVENT DETAILS
Silly Point Beer Festival 2.0 – at The Silly Point Pub
📅Sunday 24 August 2025 (Bank Holiday weekend)
🕚 Match start: 11am, gates: 930am
📍 The Silly Point Pub, The 1st Central County Ground, Hove
🏏Sussex vs Yorkshire – Metro Bank One Day Cup
🍻 Featuring drinks from Laine Brewery Co., Heineken, Harvey’s Brewery, plus non-alcoholic options
🎟 Entry included with match ticket | Wristbands available for 6 x half-pints

BUY YOUR MATCH TICKET HERE

After 160 minutes at the crease on a warm August day in Northampton, breeze blowing in softly from the north-east, Charlie Tear walked off the field having made very near a run for every minute he was at the crease. This was a triumph of an innings, a museum piece. For after 2 and a bit hours the 21-year-old had succeeded in giving his Sharks the advantage. The Northamptonshire attack had lost their lines, lost their minds. At the day's end with the sun sinking, Sussex wrapped up a seven-wicket victory to keep those Metro Bank One Day Cup hopes alight. Tear's stint out in the middle was the catalyst, was the reason.

Those 159 runs racked up off just 146 deliveries is the seventh-highest individual List A score for a Sussex batter, weaving his way amongst some of the finest to have represented the county. Amongst the list of accolades from yesterday was one that features Tom Haines, who similarly fought bravely and brilliantly for his score of 76. Together, they put on an opening partnership worth 216 - a county record partnership versus Northamptonshire in List A cricket. 

Whilst the records showered down on the Scotland international yesterday, one must not forget the wicket-keeper/batter's achievements in a different shade of blue. A batter who displays a wonderful repertoire of shots, he has featured heavily for his nation in recent months. He came away from it with an ODI high score of 80. That arriving in a match against Nepal in a Cricket World Cup League 2 clash.

And then, of course, the big one. A mesmerising, magnificent innings for the Sussex 2nd XI earlier this campaign saw Tear break numerous county records alongside Dan Ibrahim. It was a knock and partnership for the ages. 317* off the bat of Tear is a record individual score for Sussex in the 2nd XI Championship, and one that is unlikely to be beaten for quite some time. It was very nearly the highest 2nd XI Championship score of all time. He'll have to settle for the third-highest score, yet the eyebrows were unequivocally raised. 

The partnership alongside Ibrahim, another young Sussex talent that will further improve with time, amassed a startling 446 runs - a record stand for any Sussex pair in the 2nd XI Championship. It was the second-largest partnership ever record in 2nd XI Championship history, too, as the future of Sussex's batting appears to be in immensely capable hands. 

There will be further opportunities under the spotlight for Tear and Ibrahim in years' to come. The latter signing a contract extension to the end of the 2027 season, whilst Tear signed a fresh contract last year. There will always be difficult roads to navigate when batting at the top of the order, but with an undeniable ability with the bat in hand, the runs will flow, and the consistencies will expand. Whatever happens next, Tear can relish in a season that just keeps on giving.

Northants Men vs Sussex Sharks Men: Match Report 

Northamptonshire Steelbacks 295 for eight (50 overs) v Sussex Sharks 297 for three (46.5 overs), Sussex Sharks won by seven wickets and take four points

By Jeremy Blackmore, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay – please feel free to byline

Scottish international Charlie Tear blazed a record-breaking maiden List A hundred as Sussex Sharks raced to their second Metro Bank One Day Cup victory in three days, chasing down Northamptonshire Steelbacks’ 295 for eight in style with seven wickets and 19 balls to spare.

Tear served up a barrage of boundaries all around Wantage Road, smashing 23 fours and 2 sixes in his spectacular 159 off just 146 balls – the highest ever individual score for Sussex against Northamptonshire in List A cricket. He shared a devastating opening stand of 216 off 202 balls with Tom Haines (76 off 81 balls, 9 fours, 1 six) – Sussex’s highest List A partnership for any wicket against Northamptonshire.

It was a day to forget for the Steelbacks with the ball, the bowling often wayward and with multiple errors in the field.

With the bat, James Sales narrowly failed to post another ton after his century in Northamptonshire’s victory over Durham on Friday, but his 98 (96 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) was the backbone of their innings.

He shared a stand of 115 off 104 balls for the fourth wicket with Stuart van der Merwe who looked at home on debut despite being dropped at slip first ball. His 59 (60 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) was a proactive, confident innings from the 20-year-old, full of invention. But with just 50 coming in the powerplay and Sales failing to kick on in the final overs, Northamptonshire’s total looked well below par. Danny Lamb finished with two wickets, but spinner Jack Carson’s miserly six-over spell deserved special mention.

Earlier Luke Procter (36) and Aadi Sharma (38) gave Northamptonshire a solid if unspectacular platform of 73 for the first wicket in 13.3 overs. Sharma swept Carson straight to Archie Lenham at backward-square before Procter, who passed 1,000 List A runs, fell soon afterwards, giving leg-spinner Lenham a comfortable return catch.

Amidst a miserly spell, Carson bowled 16 dot balls in 17 deliveries, conceding just one run, his initial six-over spell bringing one wicket for just 13 runs.

Northamptonshire attacked at the other end instead, targeting Lenham, Sales cutting for four and smashing over long-on.

Tim Robinson fell quickly in identical fashion to Sharma, sweeping round the corner to Lenham in spinner Bertie Foreman’s first over. Foreman then nearly had van der Merwe first ball but Haines shelled a straightforward chance at slip, the ball running away for four. Unfazed, van der Merwe drove the unlucky bowler through the covers and began to accumulate.

Sales swept Carson over midwicket while van der Merwe sent one over extra cover for six. He scooped Lamb for four before sweeping Foreman to reach 50.

Even though van der Merwe upper cut to third where Lenham held an excellent tumbling catch, a big Northamptonshire total looked assured. Sales twice crunched Foreman through extra cover and moved into the eighties in style, smashing Lenham straight into the top tier of the Turner Stand.

But Sussex did well to contain as Sales grew becalmed, scoring just 21 in the final 10 overs.

New batter George Bartlett counterattacked after being dropped at extra cover, hitting Lenham straight for six and taking three boundaries off a Crocombe over.

His luck ran out when he was run out for a quickfire 28 (18 balls), Fynn Hudson-Prentice deflecting the ball onto the stumps in his follow-through. It sparked a mini collapse, Northamptonshire losing four wickets in 19 balls. Lewis McManus and Dom Leech were bowled by Lamb and Hudson-Prentice respectively before Sales was agonisingly caught at cover.

In stark contrast, Sussex’s powerplay saw a wave of boundaries producing 80 runs in comparison to Northamptonshire’s 50 stage. 

Tear was in full command. He played some textbook drives, cuts and clips off his legs, but also attacked, pulling anything short and smashing over long-on before a beautiful straight drive took him to 50. Haines too started to find the ropes even if he was fortunate to gather a six via a top-edge.

Indian legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal and debutant pace bowler Ben Whitehouse briefly stemmed the flow of runs, the youngster conceding just two off his first over. But the scoring was relentless. Haines whipped one through the on-side to bring up Sussex’s 100 off 85 balls, while Tear deposited Chahal over long-on.

Tear continued to gather runs all around the wicket, a cover drive off Chahal bringing up his century off exactly 100 balls. He pulled Whitehouse ferociously for four more and crunched him down the ground before tucking into a Dom Leech over which leaked 18 runs, including a straight six to bring up the 200 partnership.

Northamptonshire finally made the breakthrough in the 34th over when Haines hooked Whitehouse out to the sweeper on the legside boundary. Tear motored on past 150, reaching the milestone by swotting Leech over midwicket for six. His long innings ended with the finishing line in sight, caught at backward point off Leech. Tom Clark made 34 before he was bowled by Bartlett with five needed, John Simpson hitting six to wrap up the win.

Sussex opener Charlie Tear said: “We spoke in the morning as a group, as a batting unit, about wanting to play with freedom and intent from ball one. We've got naturally aggressive players, and when we let ourselves play like that, I think we get the best from ourselves.

“The chase on Friday against Lancashire filled the team with confidence. I think the way Clarky and Hainesy have been playing set the intent. And I think new batters coming in are just going from ball one, starting as if they were already 20 or 30. And I think that just keeps the momentum going and as a bowling unit, it’s going to be difficult to bowl at us. 

“Hainesy has masses of experience. We were just talking in the middle about plans and when to maybe go on the attack and when to just work it around. So, he helps hugely.

“I feel like I've been playing good cricket all year, and, yeah, it's just nice to get an opportunity and take it really. That’s the most pleasing thing.

“I got off to a quicker start than I thought I probably would have today. That just happened naturally, and I thought I've got to keep going. But then once you get out of the power play, you go through the gears and play the situation.  

“It was quite a good wicket. It didn't spin loads, came onto the bat pretty nicely, a little bit two-paced at times. But a good wicket.

“I think we're getting better each game, which is an exciting thing. That's what you want to do in these sorts of tournaments. We’ll rest up now and then play Somerset at home. And yeah, we're full of confidence.”