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.

Next up: Hampshire. And for Paul Farbrace's side a victory would be most welcome following back-to-back defeats that have sent the Sharks to the bottom of the Vitality Blast South Group after three rounds of matches.

Farbrace admitted that his side "got what they deserved" on Saturday night following defeat to then-bottom side Middlesex, losing by a margin of 31 runs that saw Tom Clark hobble off with injury when in the field.

He still batted, and batted well, with Jack Carson as his runner as the Sharks set out to chase a hefty target of 214, and indeed it was to be a target too far out of reach as Sussex came up short despite explosive - albeit somewhat short - knocks by Tom Alsop and James Coles.

Coupled with a difficult defeat at Kent the Monday prior, the stakes are now just a bit higher as in-form Hampshire is the next destination on Tuesday evening.

Team News

Paul Farbrace has named a 14-player squad for the trip to Southampton, with Henry Crocombe returning, following his impressive stint with England Lions, where he took 4-65. Tom Clark misses out having picked up an injury during Saturday night's defeat to Middlesex.

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

The Opposition 

Hampshire have made a positive start to this year's Vitality Blast, winning three of their opening four matches.

They arrive on a three-game win streak, too, having comfortably beaten Essex and Surrey at home before recording victory again on Sunday at Middlesex's Merchant Taylors' School.

Runs have been fairly shared around amongst the batting cohort, with South African overseas Tristan Stubbs making a positive start. The irrepressible James Vince and experienced Liam Dawson have added runs, too.

And with the ball it's been mostly Scott Currie - brother of Sussex Shark, Brad - who has been most effective, taking nine wickets from the opening four matches at an average of 9.33.

Previous Encounters

This will be the 42nd meeting between the Sharks and the Hawks in T20 cricket, as Sussex look for win #18 against their neighbours in the competition.

Hampshire arrive into this matchup having won 21 of those 41 meetings, and are in good form over the Sharks having completed a Blast double last season.

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. 

The match commences at 7pm.

Tickets

Tickets for Tuesday's trip to the Utilita Bowl can be purchased here.

It was third time lucky for Middlesex, who won their first Vitality Blast match of the season with an impressive display against Sussex at Hove, with the home side replacing them at the bottom of the South group table.

Middlesex scored a challenging 213-4, propelled by a 41-ball 77 by opener Max Holden, who hit five sixes and six fours.

Opening partner Adam Rossington had fallen in the fourth over, cramped by the pace of Tymal Mills, played a short-arm hook to deep backward square-leg.

But left-hander Holden was in fine form and raised the fifty in the sixth over when he guided a Mills delivery to the third man boundary.

He put on 95 for the second with Joshua De Caires, who made his maiden Blast fifty and went on to score an unbeaten 80 from 44 deliveries, with five sixes and seven fours.

And when Holden holed out in the deep the ball after striking Danny Briggs for his final six, captain Leus du Plooy added 65 for the third wicket with De Caires to put Sussex on the back foot.

The Sussex bowling attack missed Ollie Robinson and Henry Crocombe – called up by England and England Lions respectively.  Mills, who took three wickets, bowled well, and sometimes with real pace, but apart from the experienced Briggs, whose four overs cost just 33 runs, the other Sussex bowlers were expensive.

Sussex opener Tom Clark was injured in the field. But he had shown such form in the previous game against Kent that he opened with Jack Carson running for him.

And, virtually batting on one leg, he gave Sussex the start they wanted, with two massive sixes and four fours in a 13-ball 31 before he was caught behind off Tom Helm.

Opening partner Dan Hughes had fallen in the previous over and when John Simpson drilled spinner Luke Hollman to long-off from the first delivery following the power play, a disappointing stroke, Sussex were faltering at 65 for three in the seventh over.

James Coles was not at his most fluent, and was almost caught three times, but some big-hitting by Tom Alsop kept the required rate below 13 an over.

Alsop had hit 43 from a partnership of 67 with Coles when his 24-ball innings came to an end, caught at long-off off De Caires.

Sussex were only marginally behind the rate but they kept losing wickets.  Coles, whose 33 occupied 27 deliveries, was fifth out at 143 and when Danny Lamb was lbw for a single three balls later Sussex had lost three wickets for 13 runs and the run-rate had spiked up, with 69 needed from the final five overs.

It was too much Sussex’s later order and, under intense scoreboard pressure, they were bowled out for 182, losing their last seven wickets for 50 runs.

Coming to Hove today? Our Guide to the Game provides all the information you need to ensure you're all set for tonight's big match!

Timings

4pm | Gates open

6.30pm | Match Toss

7pm | First ball

8.30pm | Estimated Interval

10pm | Estimated End of Play

Information

Champions League Final: We will be opening our gates at the earlier time of 4pm today so fans can enjoy the Arsenal vs PSG fixture at our Sixes  Bar before the start of play.

Club Shop: Stocked with all our new shirts for the 2026 season, the club shop will be open for supporters, closing around 8.30pm.

Seating: As we’re expecting close to a sell-out, reserved seating will  apply, so please do sit in your allocated seat.

SharksZone: A dedicated space for Sharks fans to soak up the atmosphere before the match, with great food offers and brilliant activities for kids.

Match Sponsor: Today’s Match Sponsor is WebTrends Optimize - we thank them for sponsporing this evening’s game.

Travel

Train: Hove Railway Station is roughly a 10-minute walk, with direct trains towards Chichester, mid-Sussex and Brighton. 

Bus: The 7 bus runs past the North (Cromwell Road) end of the ground. This service is the George Street to Brighton Marina service and serves both Hove and Brighton Rail Stations. The 21 & 21A Brighton Marina to Goldstone Valley service stops outside the main entrance to the  ground.

Entry

There are still a limited number of tickets remaining for this fixture.

We strongly recommend buying your tickets online in advance. Tickets purchased on the gate in  the ticket office will be £5 more expensive than those bought online in advance, so we strongly recommend beating the queues and saving yourself a bit of money.

All bags will be searched upon entry to the ground, owing to the increased UK threat level, so please allow extra time to get into the ground.

Access to the ground will be via the Main Entrance on Eaton Road, or at the North East Gate, located at the north end of Palmeira Avenue. Supporters are not permitted to bring alcoholic drinks into the venue for Vitality Blast matches.

Sixes

Our Sixes Bar will be open from 10am, where you can book net sessions and enjoy an extensive range of food and drink throughout the day.

With gates opening at 4pm, you can watch the Champions  League Final between Arsenal and PSG before play gets underway at 7pm. The football begins at 5pm.

Singha

Our new official pouring rights partner is Shepherd Neame, offering a new range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments. The first 20 people to buy a pint of Sea End Lager or Singha from the new Singha container bar in the South West Sharks Zone will receive a free upgrade to Curry and Cricket Hospitality for the game.  

Food and Drink

On the south side of the ground: Fish and Chips, Sixes, Hot Food Van, Pick n Mix, Coffee, South Container Bar, Roebuck, The Sausage Man, Greek Street Food, Ice Cream.

On the north side of the ground: Pizza, Loaded Fries, Moo Shack (Lebanese), Ice Cream, Coffee, Thatchers North Bar, Singha Container Bar.

The County Ground, Hove is a cashless venue.

Long-time Sussex Cricket partner Cow Corner Investments Ltd have grown their support of the club, by taking the naming rights of the Sharks Stand at The County Ground.

The Cow Corner Sharks Stand opened officially before last Monday’s sold-out international T20 fixture between England and New Zealand.

Throughout the Vitality Blast T20 season, Cow Corner are running a generous fan-led initiative to raise funds for the Sussex Cricket Foundation where every time a fan sitting in a pink seat in the Cow Corner Sharks Stand takes (or drops) a catch, Cow Corner will make a £1,000 donation.

Cow Corner Founder Matthew Rourke said:

“Sponsoring the Sharks Stand felt like a fun way to extend our relationship with Sussex Cricket, a club that we care deeply about. We previously had the naming rights for the hospitality areas in the southeast corner of the ground, but given the amount of left-handed players in the squad now, it feels appropriate to move Cow Corner over to the Sharks Stand. I’m looking forward to watching our big-hitting left-handed batsmen hit plenty of sixes this summer, to help support the fantastic work that the Sussex Cricket Foundation does in our community”

Sussex Cricket Interim Chief Executive Mark West said:

“I’m delighted to see Cow Corner, a loyal supporter of Sussex Cricket, extend their relationship with the club by sponsoring the Sharks Stand. The fun new initiative with supporters being able to help raise funds for the Sussex Cricket Foundation speaks volumes on Cow Corner’s generosity and company values, and we hope our supporters have been working on their fielding skills ahead of the new Vitality Blast campaign”