Sussex Sharks Women continue their Vitality Blast campaign at Horsham on Sunday, playing host to Gloucestershire Women.

The last time Alexia Walker's side donned the Sussex blue a thriller was witnessed, though unfortunately it fell in favour of the visiting Leicestershire Foxes on the final ball of the match. An excellent advert, though, as the two sides produced a brilliant affair that included a multitude of fine shots and excellent wickets.

Following the defeat, the Sharks have some work to do still if they are to progress further in the competition as they remain winless, welcoming a Gloucestershire side that have won two and lost two in the Blast. Mollie Adams finds herself in fabulous form, scoring 40 last time out but with three consecutive half-centuries prior to that in the competition.

Team News:

Formerly of Berkshire but in the Vipers Academy since 2024, Eliza Bristowe joins us from Hampshire. Anna Lewis misses out having fractured her finger, whilst seamer Anna Buckle continues to miss out after suffering a dislocated thumb last month. Lottie Curling, too, is an absentee with an ongoing ankle injury.

Squad: Mollie Adams, Sophie Beck, Eliza Bristowe, Darcey Clarke, Izzy Collis, Kali-Ann Docherty, Chiara Green (c), Bella Johnson, Faye Mullins, Eve O’Neill, Shristi Patil, Talitha Stanley, Phoebe Wilkinson

The Opposition

The visitors arrive into this one on the back of a solid seven-wicket victory over Worcestershire, placing them in good stead at this point in the tournament. It's been the bats of Rebecca Halliday and AC Munday that have propelled them to victory, whilst Alice and Charlotte Phillips have been the main points of attack with the ball, combining for nine wickets.

How to Watch

You'll be able to keep up with the action via our Match Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. We will not be streaming this match due to the ongoing men's match at Hove.

The action gets underway at 2.30pm tomorrow.

Horsham Cricket Club

Horsham Cricket Club have designated this match as Ladies Day, where Horsham First XI will be in action at midday, before the Sussex Sharks take to the field for a 2.30pm start.

Bubbly Brunch will be available in the Clubhouse from 12pm, with promotions on prosecco, Pimms and cocktails. Afternoon Tea will also be on offer, with the Bar and Kitchen open all day.

Entry is free, and so is the parking! 

Indian left-armer Jaydev Unadkat took four wickets and spearheaded an impressive performance by Sussex’s bowlers on day one of their Rothesay County Championship match against Glamorgan at Hove.

Tom Haines, skippering Sussex for the first time since 2022 in the absence of Ollie Robinson, put Glamorgan in and his decision was fully vindicated when they were bowled out for 155 in 51.2 overs.

Unadkat picked up 4 for 29 and there were two wickets apiece for Henry Crocombe, who bowled with genuine pace, and Haines.

Haines fell for 48 when Sussex replied but the hosts were only 19 behind after reaching 136 for 2 at stumps.

The floodlights were on all day and there was some lateral movement under heavy cloud cover which Unadkat, who was playing his first first-class match since January, wasted no time in exploiting at the start of this third stint with Sussex.

In his third over he found some extra bounce with the new ball and Asa Tribe was caught behind forcing off the back foot.

Glamorgan had already lost opener Zain-ul-Hassan who gloved left-armer Sean Hunt’s first ball in Championship cricket this season which had bounced off an awkward length. 

From 11 for two, Kiran Carson and Ben Kellaway led a partial recovery before Sussex struck in successive overs. Carlson got a thin edge to Tom Price’s 11th ball and gave wicketkeeper John Simpson his third catch and Henry Crocombe struck with his third delivery which Colin Ingram edged to second slip high off the bat.

Kellaway and Sean Dickson added 51 either side of lunch and seemed to have settled things down until Crocombe took a brilliant return catch in his follow through with his outstretched right hand when Kellaway offered a leading edge.

Unadkat returned, this time at the sea end, and picked up two quick wickets with Dickson and Timm van der Gugten both caught in the cordon playing at balls which nipped off the seam.

Chris Cooke and Mason Crane put on 32 for the eighth wicket without too many alarms before Sussex’s bowlers regained control again. 

Skipper Haines took two wickets, the second courtesy of a fine catch by Hunt hurtling in from the deep backward square boundary and diving full length, before Unadkat showed his athleticism to intercept Ryan Hadley’s drive by diving to his right in his follow-through and clinging onto the ball inches from the turf. For only the 19th time in first-class matches at Hove all ten wickets in an innings had fallen to catches.

Overhead conditions hadn’t improved when Glamorgan bowled but their attack struggled for consistency until the 21st over when Haines was well caught by Tribe diving to his left at second slip off 18-year-old Tom Norton two short of his fifty.

Tom Alsop, who was also making his first Championship appearance of the season, pushed at van der Gugten’s outswinger and Ingram snapped up the edge at slip, but Hughes and Jack Leaning saw Sussex safely to stumps. 

Sussex Cricket is pleased to announce that we are now accepting nominations for junior players to join our 2026/2027 season Pathway programmes.

If you would like to nominate a young player please find the full nomination details to download below.

• Boys Under 9s - Under 12s | Sussex Cricket Early Engagement Pathway Programme Nominations 2026-2027
• Boys Under 13s - Under 16s | Sussex Cricket Pathway Programme Nominations 2026-2027
• Girls Under 10s - Under 18s | Sussex Cricket Pathway Nominations 2026-2027

Further Information & Nomination Forms

• For the Boys Under 9s - Under 12s players will be asked to submit video evidence (all details will be sent on how to do this).
• For the Boys Under 13s - Under 16s and the Girls Under 10s - Under 18s players will be invited to attend assessments in person (dates & times will be sent).

If you would like any further information not included in the links above please email pathwayadmin@sussexcricket.co.uk and specify the details that you require.

Sussex Cricket Ltd. and the Sussex Cricket Foundation are delighted to confirm the extension of its partnership with the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) for a further 3 years, continuing its commitment to transforming state school cricket in Sussex.

The partnership which has been in existence for 10 years, has seen BACA become the gold standard for state school cricket, not only in Sussex but also across the Country. Led by ex-Sussex & England Head Coach, Mark Robinson, the schools’ programmes with support from Sussex Cricket are thriving, and provides participation and elite opportunities for people to access the game and fulfil their potential.

The development of state school cricket is of high priority for the Sussex Cricket Foundation, and exciting plans are in place using BACA as a central hub to further transform state school cricket across the county, with the launch of an exciting new programme due to be announced shortly.

BACA continues to evolve its offer including now having a close relationship with the Square One Cricket Centre based at the University of Brighton. Over 100 students are now benefiting from the cricketing offer which, is specifically designed to enable students to undertake their studies in the mornings and to concentrate on developing their cricketing skills in the afternoons.

BACA has recently launched the County’s first state school cricket programme for girls (for Years. 7 – 11). This will help support the growth and development of the Women & Girls game in Sussex, whilst also helping to identify new talent for the Sussex Womens Pathway & Tier 2 team.

As part of the partnership, the Aldridge Foundation, which has been a long-term supporter of Sussex Women’s and Girl’s Cricket, will also continue as front of shirt sponsor for the Sussex Women’s team until September 2028, another sign of its commitment to growing the game.

The Sussex Women’s team, who compete in Tier 2 of the new ECB structure, will be playing games this summer at Hove, Horsham & Arundel, which help create an improved connection between the team and supporters across the County.

It’s an exciting year for the Women & Girls game with the ICC Women's T20 World Cup having now started in England this summer. The Sussex Cricket Foundation will be using the World Cup this as a tool to help engage and inspire women & girls to play, watch or volunteer in the game. As part of England’s preparation for the tournament, they beat New Zealand in front of a sold-out crowd on Monday 25th May at The County Ground, Hove.

Sir Rod Aldridge, Founder of the Aldridge Foundation: “This year is the 20th anniversary of the Aldridge Foundation and the cricket programme at BACA has demonstrated the power of cricket to develop attributes which enable our students not only to perform well on the pitch but to prepare well for a fulfilling and successful life.”

Gary Wallis-Tayler, Director of Sussex Cricket Foundation: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with BACA, which is a key part of our mission to transform state school cricket in Sussex. The high-quality opportunities BACA provide, not only help make cricket accessible but also helps identify talented players for our Sussex Men, Women & Disability teams which ensures everyone has opportunity to fulfil their potential”.

Shaun Simmonds, Marketing Manager of Sussex Cricket: "Having attended Falmer High School before it became BACA, I have seen the positive change that Brighton Aldridge Community Academy has made to the local community first-hand. The partnership between Sussex Cricket, Sussex Cricket Foundation and BACA has inspired thousands of children from state school backgrounds, and BACA's continued commitment to women and girls' cricket in Sussex, for a further three years, is something to really celebrate."

To find out more about the offerings at BACA please visit their website https://www.baca-uk.org.uk/ or please contact Clara Bowden - cbowden@baca-uk.co.uk To learn more about Sussex Cricket https://sussexcricket.co.uk/ or the Sussex Cricket Foundation please visit their website or contact foundation@sussexcricket.co.uk

Tickets for Sussex Women's fixtures can be booked here

Find out more about the ICC Women's T20 World Cup and book tickets here. 

Sussex search to make it three wins in as many matches at Hove in the County Championship this season as Glamorgan travel down to the coast following the Vitality Blast pause. 

A positive start for Paul Farbrace's side with the red ball who, without the 12-point deduction, would be on the same points total as Nottinghamshire at the top of the division. Though with six matches ticked off and only two of those played at Hove, it's been a solid start in the competition.

And despite losing Tom Clark and Fynn Hudson-Prentice to injury - all the while Ollie Robinson puts on a show for England - there is rejuvenation once again in the bowling department with seamers Jaydev Unadkat, Sean Hunt and Dom Goodman all in a red ball squad for the first time this campaign.

Team News

Fresh from claiming Sussex Sharks' most economical T20 figures since 2004 (4-1-9-3), Sean Hunt is back in the red ball squad for the first time since last year having missed the opening third of the season through injury. Tom Alsop, too, features in a County Championship squad for the first time this season, alongside Dom Goodman who, much like Hunt, has been absent with injury since pre-season.

Jaydev Unadkat is back for the fourth consecutive season, this time for the final eight rounds of the County Championship, and slots timely into the squad with Ollie Robinson away on international duty with England.

Tom Clark will be out for 8-10 weeks with a knee injury, with Fynn Hudson-Prentice also an absentee through injury.

Squad: Alsop, Carson, Carter, Coles, Crocombe, Goodman, Haines, Hughes, Hunt, Leaning, Price, Simpson, Tear, Unadkat.

The Opposition

It's been a strong start for Glamorgan on their return to Division One for the first time since 2018, with the Welsh-based county currently occupying third position - four points ahead of Sussex.

Important wins over Somerset and Hampshire have put Richard Dawson's side in fine stead as we take a pause from the white ball stuff, as they make the trip down to Hove for red ball cricket for the first time since September 2024 - Sussex claiming an empathic innings victory on their way to the Division Two title.

Kiran Carlson has enjoyed early success out in the middle, racking up 542 runs at an average of 54.20. Asa Tribe, Ben Kellaway and Sean Dickson have all added healthy runs, too, with Colin Ingram also impressing, though he could miss out having only featured in the opening Vitality Blast match.

With the ball, Timm van der Gugten and Ryan Hadley have been most effective for Glamorgan combining for 43 wickets after the opening six-match block.

Match Sponsor

Sussex Cricket would like to thank Focus Group for sponsoring the four-day match against Glamorgan.

Established in 2003, Focus Group is one of the leading independent providers of essential business technology. Delivering innovative solutions to keep your business connected.

How to Watch

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

Or, you can join us at The County Ground, Hove, by purchasing your tickets here.

Tickets on the gate will be dearer than in advance, so book now via the link above for the best price. Tickets purchased on the gate are NOT covered by the rain policy, either.

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.