Leicestershire vs Sussex: Match Preview

After an encouraging start to the Vitality County Championship last week against Northamptonshire, Paul Farbrace takes a 13-player squad to the Upton Steel County Ground to take on Leicestershire, starting tomorrow. 

Squad

Alsop, Carson, Carter, Clark, Coles, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hunt, Karvelas, Lamb, Pujara, Seales, Simpson (C, WK)

Team News

Cheteshwar Pujara is included in the squad after arriving in Hove this week for his third season with Sussex. 

Ollie Robinson has been made available by the ECB for 5 of the opening 7 County Championship games and will not feature in this game.

How to Watch

As ever, every ball is available to watch, free of charge, on our livestream via our Match Centre. Action gets underway from 11am tomorrow. 

Watch Cheteshwar Pujara's First Interview in 2024

Sussex Cricket Hosts First Iftar at The 1st Central County Ground

Wednesday 27th March saw over 60 members of the local community come together with Sussex staff in the first ever Iftar event at The 1st Central County Ground.

Members of the Muslim community were invited to break their fast in an event organised by Sussex Board Member, Chiara Khan.

Attendees came from a range of areas in the County, including Brighton, Worthing, Crawley and Forge Wood.

Chiara Khan was joined by fellow Board Member, Varadarajan Kalidasan, as well as; Sussex Chair, Jon Filby, Sussex Men’s Head Coach, Paul Farbrace, Sussex Women’s Head Coach, Alexia Waker, Sussex Women's Regina Suddahazai Khan and Sussex Cricket Foundation Chair, Ish Jalal, for an evening which represented a groundbreaking first for Sussex Cricket. 

The event was the first of its kind ever to be held at the Cricket Club and began with an opening welcome from Jon Filby, before guests were invited to break their fast, pray and get together to celebrate the Islamic holy month.

Speaking on the event, Sussex Board Member, Chiara Khan said: “It is an absolute honour and privilege to have hosted the first Iftar event for SCL. 

“Being the first Muslims female Board Member I want to make great strides in countering the ICEC report. 

“Breaking fast and appreciating the community the Muslim cricket playing population of Northern Sussex provide was an enormous success and has been confirmed by the CEO, Pete Fitzboydon, that this will be an annual and funded event.”

The event was also an opportunity for the community to educate members of the Sussex Cricket organisation on the importance of Ramadan and what it means to be a Muslim, as well as an opportunity for people to discuss the potential barriers the community feels prevents them from joining in with the game. 

Sussex Chair, Jon Filby, added: “It was a privilege to welcome so many cricket loving people to Hove, for our first Iftar.

“We will certainly do it again next year and I very much hope that all those who came to the event will come back for cricket at Hove this summer.

“Eid Mubarak to all celebrating.”

Cheteshwar Pujara Returns: Exclusive Interview

Cheteshwar Pujara has returned for his third season at Sussex and his set to make his return on Friday against Leicestershire in the Vitality County Championship and he spoke exclusively to the Club on hopes for the team this season.

Pujara talks about cricket in India over the winter, the re-signing of friend and teammate Jaydev Unadkat, plus what he thinks it will take for Sussex to return to Division One. 

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Sussex vs Northamptonshire: Day 4 Match Report

Determined resistance by Lewis McManus frustrated Sussex’s bid to pull off an unlikely victory over Northamptonshire on a gripping final day at The 1st Central County Ground.

McManus batted for an hour as four partners came and went and Northants lurched to 170 for 9 before umpires Paul Baldwin and Surendiran Shanmugam decided it was too gloomy even for spin with Northants ahead by 63. 

The loss of more than 100 overs eventually proved decisive but Sussex will have drawn a lot of encouragement after making most of the running, especially on the last two days. They took 15 points and Northants 13. 

Having established a first-innings lead of 107, they reduced Northants to 57 for 4 at The 1st Central County Ground. Skipper Luke Procter (41) settled the nerves before left-arm spinner James Coles revived Sussex hopes with three of the four wickets that fell in 7.1 overs after tea that left them 152 for 8.

McManus and Ben Sanderson resisted for eight overs until the light improved sufficiently to enable Sussex skipper John Simpson to bring back his quicks Jayden Seales and Ollie Robinson for two overs each. 

Robinson responded with an unplayable yorker to uproot Sanderson’s middle stump – a fitting way to celebrate his 400th first-class wicket. Spinners Jack Carson and James Coles returned before the light didn’t improve and the players shook hands shortly after 6pm. 

Sussex had declared their first innings on 478 for 9 after adding 127 in 20 overs to collect maximum batting points. 

Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Danny Lamb extended their seventh wicket stand to 99 from just 14.1 overs with Lamb contributing 41 before Chris Tremain held an excellent low catch at mid-wicket off Sanderson.

Hudson-Prentice, who made nine Championship fifties last season, demonstrated his effectiveness again with 73 from 60 balls and it took a clever piece of bowling by Tremain to remove him when he held one back and Hudson-Prentice drove to long-on. 

Even the normally frugal Sanderson suffered when Carson hit him for three sixes in a lively 61 from 53 balls. Aiming to clear mid-wicket again he was bowled to give left-arm spinner Zaib his fourth wicket.

Robinson and Seales plundered 30 runs from ten balls before the declaration left Northants with four overs before lunch which they couldn’t negotiate unscathed as Seales produced a lovely away-swinger which Justin Broad edged to third slip.

Sussex gained further encouragement with three wickets in ten overs after lunch. Emilio Gay (20) lost his off stump to give Seales his sixth wicket of the match and Karun Nair edged Robinson to third slip with Coles taking a superb catch low to his left.

George Bartlett drove off-spinner Carson onto the roof of the south stand only to perish two balls later before a stand of 73 between Procter and Rob Keogh steered Northants into calmer waters, for a while at least. 

Coles added to his three first-innings wickets with three more after tea. Zaib was well caught at slip trying to guide the ball to third man; Keogh was lbw to a quicker ball for a well-made 55; and Michael Finan taken at second slip on the drive. 

Carson sparked the collapse when he went round the wicket to have Procter leg before as he aimed through mid-wicket. 

Robinson finished with 2 for 19 from ten overs in three spells and bowled at a good pace throughout. He will have been pleased to get through 32 overs in what was only his second first-class match since last July.

Reaction from Paul Farbrace 

Sussex opener Tom Haines made 133 – his first hundred in the Vitality County Championship since September 2022 – although their game against Northamptonshire at The 1st Central County Ground looks likely to end in a draw.

The 25-year-old left-hander - who hit six fifties last season without converting any of them into a century – eased to the tenth first-class hundred of his career as Sussex reached 351 for 6 at stumps on day three, trailing by 20.

They had been in a spot of bother at 94 for 3 but James Coles, who celebrated his 20th birthday last week, embellished his burgeoning reputation with a stylish 78 in a fourth-wicket stand of 137 to go with his three wickets. 

Left-arm spinner Saif Zaib checked Sussex progress by removing both set batters and Sussex captain John Simpson, but in the final hour Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Danny Lamb wrested back the initiative with some aggressive batting, Hudson-Prentice thrashing a 38-ball fifty as they added 93 from 70 balls before bad light intervened with 7.4 overs remaining. 

It was Haines’ day though. He offered one difficult chance on 107 which was put down by wicketkeeper Lewis McManus diving to his left, but otherwise looked comfortable driving or accumulating steadily off the back foot. 

Haines and his new opening partner Tom Clark had launched Sussex’s reply with an untroubled stand of 55 before Clark was leg before pushing forward to off-spinner Rob Keogh, who struck again when Tom Alsop missed a delivery down the leg side which went between his legs and Lewis McManus completed an easy stumping.

The persevering Ben Sanderson – the pick of the Northants’ attack - knocked back Oli Carter’s off stump with a no ball and did so again – this time with a legitimate delivery – two balls later but with the Kookaburra offering little movement and only gentle turn Haines and Coles turned things around.

Haines pulled Australian Chris Tremain for four to reach his fifty and Coles, demonstrating his strengths through the leg side, was soon into his stride, skipping down the pitch to loft Zaib over long-on for six. 

He offered a chance on 38 which the diving Bartlett shelled at mid-on but otherwise made serene progress. It wasn’t Bartlett’s day as deep into the final session he was hit on the helmet by Haines and had to go off.  

Haines reached his second hundred against Northants with a single off Sanderson and Coles seemed certain to follow him but both gifted their wickets to Zaib. 

Coles drove a long hop to mid-on and Haines drilled a full toss to mid-off after facing 183 balls and hitting 19 fours. In between Simpson played on as Zaib collected three wickets in a Championship innings for the first time since 2016. 

At the start of the day, Northants added 78 runs in an hour before being dismissed for 371. Sussex made an early breakthrough when Michael Finan drove loosely to extra cover to give Jayden Seales his fourth wicket. 

Robinson eventually got Sanderson (27) top-edged an attempted pull but McManus progressed on to a well-made fifty before he was caught off a top-edge to give left-arm spinner Coles his third wicket. 

Seales, with 4 for 86, was the pick of the attack but Robinson would have been pleased to get 22 overs under his belt which included seven maidens in his 2 for 67.

Reaction from Tom Haines on his 10th first-class century

Half-Price Entry

Entry to the fourth and final day of Sussex vs Northamptonshire in the Vitality County Championship tomorrow is half-price for all spectators. 

Tickets start at just £2.50 for juniors and £10 for adults. Please book your tickets online to save money and to protect yourself against reduction in play due to the weather. See our Refund Policy for full details.

Plus, it's an open ground tomorrow - so sit wherever you like!

Buy your tickets here. 

Half-Price Entry to Day Four

Entry to the fourth and final day of Sussex vs Northamptonshire in the Vitality County Championship tomorrow is half-price for all spectators. 

Tickets start at just £2.50 for juniors and £10 for adults. Please book your tickets online to save money and to protect yourself against reduction in play due to the weather. See our Refund Policy for full details.

Plus, it's an open ground tomorrow - so sit wherever you like!

Buy your tickets here. 

Sussex and Northants finished the second day of their Vitality County Championship Division Two game with honours even at The 1st Central County Ground. Northants were 292 for seven at the close and with more time lost to rain.

Northants resumed on 95 for two with both Luke Procter (41) and Karun Nair (12) looking in good touch.  Nair raised the fifty partnership when he slash-cut Seales over  backward-point for six before cover-driving the next delivery for four.

From the Cromwell Road end, Robinson bowled with five slips as John Simpson, the Sussex captain, experimented with a number of funky fields in an effort to make something happen.  

But if that placed pressure on the Northants batsmen it also left plenty of gaps in the field, and required the bowlers to hit their lengths.

When Northants lost their third wicket, at 177, it was something of a gift. Karun, who had batted with classy ease for his 57, hit an ordinary delivery from Danny Lamb – who was in the middle of an eye-catching gallop down the hill - straight to short extra-cover, when James Coles took a sharp catch. 

At lunch, Northants were 202 for three, with Procter on 82 and  George Bartlett, making a nervous-looking debut after signing from Somerset at the end of last season, on 17.

After the break, Sussex stepped up a gear.  Coles bowled his slow left-arm deliveries at a quicker pace than usual to another attacking field. 

Bartlett, in particular, had difficulty against him though the batsman got his own back when he drove Jack Carson for a straight six.

Procter looked more composed than his partner, so it was some surprise when, at 222, the Northants skipper was well caught by Tom Clark at first slip as he attempted to drive Coles. Procter had hit eight fours and a six in his 225-ball 92.

Sussex then took the new ball and with the second delivery with it Seales had Bartlett caught at third slip by Coles for 27 to make it 228 for five.  It was an excellent delivery, shaping into the batsmen and then seaming away off the pitch.

Twenty runs later Robinson, in his 18th over of the innings, finally got a deserved first wicket when he had Rob Keogh caught at first slip by Tom Alsop. 

Northants had lost three wicket in ten overs.  But to their relief they edged to their first batting point shortly afterwards.  Last season, when they were relegated from the First Division, Northants did not secure their first batting point until their fourth match. 

With the light fading, Sussex went back to their spinners and Coles picked up his second wicket when Saif Zaib was well caught by Oli Carter at short leg.  But the rain was not far away and it drove the players from the field at 292 for seven, with tea just round the corner.  Play was abandoned for the day a little more than an hour later.

Reaction From James Coles at Stumps on Day Two

Tickets for Day Three

Tickets for day three of Sussex vs Northamptonshire are available to purchase online. Spectators are advised to purchase in advance, online to save money and protect yourself against any cancellations to play as a result of weather. See our Refund Policy for more details,. 

Sussex Cricket would like to remind spectators that road closures will be in place in and around Brighton & Hove on Sunday 7th April, due to the Brighton Marathon.

A reduced Southern Rail service will also operate across the Southern network on both Sunday 7th April and Monday 8th April, due to industrial action. Full information can be found on the Southern Rail website. 

You can also view the Brighton Marathon road closures, here. 

Please plan your journeys to the game accordingly and arrive as early as possible. Gates are open from 930am each morning. 

Day One Match Report

Jayden Seales took two wickets on debut on a rain-impacted first day of the Vitality County Championship fixture between Sussex and Northants at The 1st Central County Ground. 

Play started four hours late, at 3pm, with 51 overs scheduled but there were only 38.1 bowled. The good news for Sussex – and England – is that Ollie Robinson, in only his second first-class game since last July - bowled with an easy rhythm and some pace and carry from the Cromwell Road End.

He opened the bowling down the hill after new Sussex captain John Simpson had won the toss and chosen to bowl under sullen skies. 

It was surprising that Robinson was taken off after bowling just four overs – his figures were 4-1-9-0 but his workload is being managed at this stage of the season.

When Robinson opened the bowling again after tea he was even more impressive, with a spell of 5-3-5-0, and looked back to his best speeds. 

The only frustration for Robinson, and the other Sussex bowlers, was that there was so little movement with the Kookaburra ball. 

Northants were making their first visit to Hove for three years and the first runs of the season at Hove came when the left-handed opener Emilio Gay drove Robinson wide of mid-on for four.

But Sussex broke through with the first ball of the fourth over when Gay glanced Jayden Seales down the leg-side and Simpson made a distance to his right to pull off a fine catch.

Northants captain Luke Procter showed his intent when he pulled Seales over the square-leg boundary for a nonchalant six. And Procter was given solid support by makeshift opener Justin Broad at the other end. 

Broad played an excellent back-foot drive through the covers for four off Danny Lamb. Lamb – along with Seales and Simpson – was one of three players making his first-class debut for Sussex.

At tea, Northants had reached 58 for one from 24 overs, with Broad on 23 and Procter 29 not out.  After the interval, it was again Seales who made the breakthrough, having Broad, who was only half-forward, lbw for 27, to make it 66 for two. Broad had hit five handsome fours in his 76-ball innings. 

But Procter and Karun Nair – who scored such an impressive 150 against Surrey at the Oval last season – carried Northants to the close without any further loss. 

Hear from Jayden Seales on his wicket-taking debut

Tickets for Day Two

Tickets to see day two of the action are available to purchase now. Buy them in advance to save money, plus protect yourself if rain impacts play. See our Refund Policy for full details.

Sussex captain John Simpson was this morning awarded his County Cap on the outfield at The 1st Central County Ground, by legendary Sussex wicket-keeper, Matt Prior.

Simpson becomes the 158th Sussex player to be awarded their County Cap, and will subsequently wear the Martlets across the famous whites of Sussex County Cricket Club.

The wicket-keeper batter spent 16 years with Middlesex, accumulating over 13,000 runs and taking 866 dismissals with the gloves, the third highest total in the Club’s history.

Simpson made his debut for Middlesex in 2009 and went on to become their first-choice keeper for over a decade, before making the switch to Hove at the end of the 2023 season.

Over the Winter, Sussex Head Coach announced Simpson would captain the red-ball side for the first bank of County Championship season, which gets underway today.

Congratulations, Simmo! #GOSBTS