Essex produced an opening day performance against Sussex which belied their disappointing season to date, bottom but one of the championship’s first division, with just one victory. They bundled out Sussex – third in the table – for just 204 in only 52.4 overs and at the close were powerfully placed at 152 for four.

Essex’s inability to pair up their opening attack of Jamie Porter and Sam Cook has been a major factor in their poor campaign.  Cook has been involved with the England set-up and Porter, on paternity leave, missed the last championship match against Yorkshire.

Here, though, they were back in tandem, both hitting a length on a relentless line of third or fourth stump and Porter, with four for 30, was the star of the show.  Sussex, though, knowing the Kookaburra ball gets softer, and batting easier, showed a lack of application.    

Essex won the toss and bowled on a grassy pitch, with a canopy of clouds also promising to assist their seamers.

Sussex, who had dropped Tom Clark for the fit-again Tom Alsop, and brought in Ari Karvelas for the rested Ollie Robinson, struggled to overcome the conditions but were also guilty of some indulgent strokeplay.

Porter broke through in the ninth over when Daniel Hughes, going for a lavish drive, edged to keeper Michael Pepper.  And it was 31 for two in the next over when Alsop, playing forward defensively, edged Cook behind.

The relatively inexperienced Khaleel Ahmed replaced Cook at the sea end but there was no let-up for Sussex.  Khaleel pitched one up to Tom Haines who went for the drive.  But the ball nipped off the pitch and Simon Harmer took the catch at second slip.  And it was 64 for 4 in the 18th over when Dan Ibrahim attempted an expansive drive against the same bowler and was caught behind.  The players took an early lunch at 69 for four when a second, heavier shower swept over the ground.

The in-form James Coles and John Simpson launched a mini-revival with a stand of 56.  Coles showed some of the fluency that had brought him 150 against Warwickshire in his previous championship innings.  When he played Cook to backward point for a quick single he had reached his half-century from 62 balls, with seven eye-catching fours.  But then he played forward to Porter and edged to first slip, and four balls later Fynn Hudson-Prentice nicked off for a duck.

Yet again Simpson was required to make the most of diminishing resources. He added 49 for the seventh wicket with Jack Carson, whose five fours included a straight drive off Noah Thain that might have been the shot of the day. 

The introduction of fourth seamer Thain saw the first drop in the keen accuracy of the Essex attack.  But he, too, was good enough to get among the wickets.  Carson had made 25 when he edged to Pepper and next ball it was 169 for eight when Simpson prodded only half-forward to Harmer and was caught at slip.

When Karvelas flayed to cover for one Sussex had lost three wickets for two runs but last pair Henry Crocombe and Gurinder Sandhu put on 33.

When Essex batted Dean Elgar was caught at midwicket, Paul Walter, half forward, was lbw to Carson, Tom Westley was yorked by Sandhu and nightwatchman Cook was caught at leg slip. But they could still be in a very strong position by the second afternoon.

With Sussex's Vitality Blast campaign coming to an end on Friday, the Kookaburra returns for another short spell as Essex head down to Hove in search of a victory that would take them away from danger. A win for Sussex, meanwhile, could prove pivotal as we look to close the gap at the top of the division.

It's been an extremely solid return for Sussex back in the top flight, who sit third and just 17 points shy of the top. Back-to-back draws in the previous red ball outings a month ago have helped consolidate that position, as Paul Farbrace's side prepare for two more County Championship matches ahead of the start of the One Day Cup.

Team News

Paul Farbrace has named a 13-player squad for the visit of Essex, with Tom Clark and Ollie Robinson both rested. Danny Lamb and Tom Alsop shift into the squad.

Alsop, Carson, Carter, Coles, Crocombe, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Ibrahim, Karvelas, Lamb, Sandhu, Simpson* (wk)

The Opposition 

It's not been the finest of seasons for Essex who, after finishing at the foot of the Vitality Blast South table, also find themselves in trouble towards the rear of the County Championship Division One. Claiming one win from their opening nine matches this season, only Worcestershire are worse off. 

It's certainly raised a few eyebrows, for Essex are notoriously strong in the four-day game. There is still time to turn their season around, but the victories will need to start flowing soon. They suffered a 10-wicket defeat in Yorkshire in their last ball fixture, though were without Jamie Porter and Sam Cook, who may return to bolster their bowling attack.

Timings

Gates will open tomorrow at 9.30am, with the toss taking place an hour later at 10.30am. The first ball will be bowled at 11am. 

How to Watch

As always, you can watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Day Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. You can find information on how to register here.

Match Tickets

Tickets are available to purchase on the day from our ticket office, or via this link.

Matchday Dining

Bertie Foreman Joins Worcestershire on Loan

Sussex Cricket can today announce that spinning allrounder, Bertie Foreman, will join Worcestershire on a short-term loan.

Bertie will be available for selection for the next two rounds of the Rothesay County Championship for the Pears, before returning to Hove. Go well, Bertie! #GOSBTS

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce the acquisition of talented allrounder, Tom Price, from Gloucestershire on a three-year contract.

The 25-year-old, who has taken 19 wickets in County Championship Division Two this season, has played all of his first-class cricket with Gloucestershire after signing his first professional contract with the club in January 2020.

He would make his first-class debut in August of that year, taking one wicket in the first innings against Worcestershire in the Bob Willis Trophy. Since then, he has featured in 34 further first-class matches, claiming 94 wickets at an impressive average of 31.11.

20th April 2023 was a historic day not just for Price, but for cricket as a whole as Price scored his maiden first-class century against Worcestershire, along with taking a hat-trick in the same game. With this, he became the first cricketer in the history of first-class cricket to score a century and take a hat-trick on the same day. Price holds best bowling figures of 8/27, claimed in majestic fashion against Warwickshire in 2022.

While bowling may be more of his forte, Price has also demonstrated frequent capabilities with his bat, holding a high score of 109 and averaging just over 25 in first-class cricket. 

On joining Sussex, Price said: "I'm really excited by and grateful for this amazing opportunity at Sussex Cricket.

"It’s a very impressive club, with a lot of ambition, a squad that’s going from strength to strength and a highly respected group of coaches and support staff - it was always going to be a hard decision for me to leave my home club but I’ve had some very positive conversations and really believe this is a great fit.

"I’m really grateful the club are putting their faith in me for the next few years. I’m excited to continue developing my game, and will give everything I can to help the club win games and trophies.

"I look forward to meeting everyone when I join up in November."

Speaking on securing this new signature, Sussex’s Director of Cricket, Paul Farbrace, said: "We are all delighted that Tom has committed to joining us at Hove for the next stage of his career. He has been so impressive during the recruitment process, that involved our full coaching staff.

"Tom is someone I have followed closely for a few years now, he is a genuine all round cricketer who will really enhance our talented squad, and I look forward to him being a central player for us in all forms of the game."

Kent Women vs Sussex Sharks: Match Preview

The Vitality Blast for the Sharks Women comes to a close tomorrow, culminating in a trip down the road to The Spitfire Ground, where Alexia Walker's team will be welcomed to the garden of England by Kent Women, with both sides looking to finish the campaign on a high. 

Having completed a T20 double over Gloucestershire earlier in the week, the Sharks will looking to be completing another over Kent, should the British weather hold out.

Alexia Walker's young and ambitious side have grown into the tournament and will certainly take plenty of positives from a campaign that has seen them take on two sides who will turn professional imminently.

Team News

Just the one change in the Sharks squad from the Gloucestershire victory, as Daisy Mullan comes in for Rachel King.

Squad: M Adams, A Buckle, I Collis, L Curling, K Docherty, C Green, N Harman, D Mullan, A Lee, A Lewis, T Stanley, J Westley, P Wilkinson

How to Watch

You will be able to watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Day Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. You can find information on how to register here.

Will Jacks, with a magnificent 58-ball century, and Sam Curran and Chris Jordan, with some canny late bowling, inspired Surrey to their 11th victory in 14 Vitality Blast games and snuffed out Sussex hopes of winning the last quarter-final berth from the South Group.

       Jacks powered three sixes and a dozen boundaries as he put on 65 for the first wicket with Ryan Patel and then 97 with Jason Roy as Surry scaled the 200 mark with a last ball six from Tom Curran over long-off off Tymal Mills.

          It all looked too much for the Sussex Sharks. But they were heroic in defeat.  Knowing they had to win go qualify for the latter stages of the competition, with results going against them elsewhere, they strove valiantly for victory. Daniel Hughes, who has been disappointed with his return in the competition this year, plundered 75 from 43 balls, keeping his side in the hunt as he hit former Sussex man Jordan for four fours in over, before lofting Jamie Overton for a straight six.

            At the halfway stage Sussex were 81-1, ten runs behind the Surrey score.  When Hughes was bowled, backing away to cut Jacks, it again looked difficult for Sussex.  But Coles and Tom Clark changed all that, with a partnership of 58 in just four overs.

           Coles, in great form this season in red and white ball cricket, hit Jamie Overton for successive sixes, one over long-off and then over long-on and with 33 needed from three overs, and then 21 from two, the home side were favourite.

            But Surrey turned the game in the last two overs, as Curran took two in three balls, taking a brilliant return catch to dismiss Coles for a delightful 39 off 18 balls and then having Danny Lamb caught behind.  That left Sussex needing 13 off the final over and even with captain John Simpson on strike they could not manage it against the clever Jordan, as he changed his paces.

        Surrey had already qualified for the latter stages with a guaranteed home draw while Sussex, after four losses on the spin, had been given a lifeline with their last-gasp victory over Gloucestershire the previous day and knew they could qualify by winning here.

       Surrey’s powerhouse batting line-up had shown a liking for Hove’s short boundaries in the past and they again got off to a flyer after choosing to bat, with openers Jacks and Patel thumping 47 off the first four overs, with 65 coming off the six-over powerplay as Brad Currie – replacing the injured Ollie Robinson – Nathan McAndrew and captaian Tymal Mills all coming in for severe punishment.

           Sussex pulled it back through the spin of Coles and with Henry Crocumbe and  Lamb both impressive as they took pace off the ball. But then Surrey powered on again through Jacks, and with Jason Roy finding form to set an imposing total.  But it was only just enough.

Sharks vs Surrey: Guide to the Game

The Blast is back at The 1st Central County Ground tonight, with the Men's team taking on Surrey under the lights! To help you plan your evening with us, we've created a Guide to the Game with all the info you need ahead of your trip to Hove.

From information on when to arrive, to what you can and can't bring into the game, plus the squad list and more, our Guide to the Game is a must-read before you head to the ground. Read the Guide to Game.

TICKETS SOLD OUT

Tickets for tonight's game are completely SOLD OUT! Thank you for your support once again. Please do not arrive at the game if you do not have a ticket. 

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.

Don't Forget to Bring Your 1st Central Hair Headband!

Sussex Cricket and 1st Central have teamed up to give Sharks fans who re-use their 1st Central Hairy Headbands at a Blast game the chance to win a mystery prize!

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

Tonight at The 1st Central County Ground, fans who arrive with their headbands at the gate will be given a free raffle ticket and the chance to win a mystery prize. 

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

Sensory, Inclusion and Quiet Room

Sussex is proud to have opened its very own Sensory, Inclusion and Quiet Room. Our Sensory Room is a safe and relaxed environment where supporters who may need time away from the main seating areas to enjoy the game from. If you feel you may require this service, please approach a member of staff tonight. 

So, there’s quite a night ahead. Victory by the absolute barest of margins yesterday in Cheltenham - ending a run of four straight defeats in the process - mean that Sussex’s chances of qualifying are still very much on as we arrive at the final matchday. Standing in their way: already-qualified Surrey. A sold-out Hove awaits. An electric night approaches.

Permutations, permutations. Looking at the net run rate, it’s pretty much a guarantee that a Sussex win tonight will ensure the Sharks are in the Quarter Final. Slip up, and a victory for Kent would see them through. Danny Lamb’s late heroics yesterday, helped by James Cole’s and Tom Alsop, have set up a potentially thrilling night under the Hove lights.

Team News 

Paul Farbrace has named a 14-player squad for tonight's match, with Ollie Robinson the only absentee from yesterday’s squad.

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

The Opposition

Following Wednesday’s win over Middlesex, Surrey moved ahead of Somerset atop the Vitality Blast South standings. They’ve had a campaign that has just increased in strength over time. At the beginning there were question marks. Now, there is just sheer quality.

So, they’ve already qualified, but they will still be chasing that coveted top spot. They currently sit on equal points with Somerset, but some immense performances with the bat have engineered a net run rate to be far superior than the rest.

Will Jacks has had an excellent Blast with the bat, racking up an irrepressible 404 runs at an average of just under 45. That’s pretty good, and pretty much every Surrey batter has performed at some stage in the tournament. Dan Lawrence, too, is in sizzling form. So too the Curran brothers.

It’s Sam Curran that has taken the most wickets in the competition for Surrey, whilst Chris Jordan has similarly enjoyed an excellent Blast, claiming 16 wickets in the 13 matches.

Start Time

Today's match will commence at 6.30pm, with gates opening at 5pm.

How to Watch

You will be able to watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Day Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. You can find information on how to register here.

Ticket Information

General sale for this fixture is completely SOLD OUT, and there will be no tickets sold at the door. 

The only tickets remaining are in the Silly Point Bar, which can be purchased via this link: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/sussexcricket/EDP/Hospitality/Index/637?pbCode=12