Sussex Sharks Women head to Newport tomorrow to face Glamorgan in a key match in the Vitality Blast.

The Sharks are in second place in the Vitality Blast Women League Two South Group, holding a narrow one-point advantage over third-placed Glamorgan, who have a game in hand. With only the top two sides securing a place at Finals Day, Friday’s fixture could prove crucial.

The sides have already faced each other in the competition already, as the Sharks suffered a narrow defeat at Hove by a mere 5 runs. That was the third time they've faced each other this season, and every match has finished increasingly closer. 

The Opposition

Glamorgan were victorious against the group leaders in their most recent outing. They won by 30 runs against Middlesex at Colwyn Bay after posting a score of 171-4, largely thanks to Captain Lauren Parffit's 75* and Daisy Jeanes' 53. With the ball, Poppy Tulloch was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-18 as Glamorgan secured an impressive victory to make it two wins and one defeat so far in the competition.

Squad

Alexia Walker has picked a 13-player squad for the trip to Glamorgan tomorrow:

Mollie Adams, Anna Buckle, Izzy Collis, Kali-Ann Docherty, Indigo Gentry, Chiara Green, Nancy Harman*, Rachel King, Anna Lewis, Eve O’Neill, Talitha Stanley, Jazz Westley, Phoebe Wilkinson.

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.

The action gets underway tomorrow at 2.30pm. 

A watchful century from Danial Ibrahim and a gritty 85 from John Simpson guided Sussex to a draw on the final day of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Durham. 

The pair were watchful as they looked to protect their position in the match, with a probing opening spell from Matthew Potts the most trouble the visiting batters faced on a sedate final morning. 

Simpson and Ibrahim got the Sussex lead past 200 and resumed after lunch. Sam Conners removed Simpson 15 runs short of another century, but Ibrahim remained calm to reach three figures for the second time in his First Class career.

Sussex finished on 322 for six with the teams shaking hands at 4.50 pm.

The draw means that both sides have consolidated their position in a congested mid-table region following this game, with Sussex hosting Warwickshire in the next round that starts on Sunday, while Durham travel to The Oval to face second-placed Surrey.

Resuming on 111 for four with a lead of 145, Sussex pair Simpson and Ibrahim were watchful in the face of some probing bowling from Potts and Ben Raine. 

Sussex continued their plan, taking time out of the game, with the pair rarely letting their rearguard action slip in the first hour. 

Potts had a couple of LBW shouts against Ibrahim turned down as the Durham quick searched for a breakthrough. 

Simpson broke the shackles as he got the first boundary of the day 50 minutes into proceedings, flicking a Raine delivery off his legs for four. 

The first hour was successfully negated and Alex Lees brought Bas de Leede into the attack, which brought around some aggression from Ibrahim, who picked up back-to-back boundaries, his first of the day. 

Ibrahim then brought up his first half-century of the season from an attritional 161 deliveries, while skipper Simpson pulled a Conners ball for four to reach his fifty from 106 balls.

The lunch break came and things continued in the same vein, with the Durham bowlers toiling while Sussex were happy to edge further towards the draw. 

Ibrahim did punish any freebies offered by the Durham bowling attack as he pulled a Will Rhodes short ball for four, but he survived an LBW shout from Raine when Durham took the second new ball. 

He then responded by playing a delightful cover drive off the bowling of Raine, but the Durham man was testing the 20-year-old. 

The Sussex lead was edging towards an insurmountable target for Durham with the clock ticking and overs running out. 

Simpson was also having a testing time against Potts, with the England man sending a couple past the Sussex captain’s outside edge, but he responded by playing a crunching cover drive off Raine for four.

Potts came so close to a breakthrough, but Ollie Robinson dropped Simpson on 77 as the Sussex skipper gloved one down the legside, but Conners got him soon after for 85 when he chipped one up in the air and Lees produced an excellent catch at mid-off. 

Ibrahim then reached his first century of the season from 264 deliveries with a single on the legside. 

The 20-year-old guided his side to tea alongside Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who tried to be aggressive after the break but Drissell bowled him for 26 as he missed one completely. 

That brought Jack Carson to the crease who was there with Ibrahim when the two sides settled for a draw.

Debutant Gurinder Sandhu starred for Sussex on day three of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Durham, but the match is edging towards a draw after a mix of rain and bad light caused play to end early at Banks Homes Riverside. 

Durham had a tough morning with Australian Sandhu (5/83) taking the role of chief tormentor, picking up a five-wicket haul on debut as Durham lost their final four wickets for 26 runs to leave them on 327, a first innings deficit of 34. 

Durham bounced back through Matthew Potts after lunch to put Sussex under pressure at 27 for three, but James Coles was once again a thorn in the home team’s side as he led a Sussex recovery with another fifty. 

After several disruptions because of rain and bad light across the afternoon, play finished early with Sussex on 111 for four at close, 145 runs ahead.

Resuming on 249 for five, it was Graham Clark and Bas de Leede’s job to get Durham quick runs and whittle down the 112 deficit as soon as possible. 

Durham’s top run scorer Clark continued his fine form as he reached fifty from 89 balls, but Sussex bowlers Ollie Robinson and Sandhu restricted run making opportunities with a new ball, which was taken just prior to close on day two. 

Robinson got the breakthrough for Sussex removing Clark for 51 as the Durham man attempted to pull a short ball, but he got an edge through to John Simpson behind the stumps. 

George Drissell came to the crease as Jofra Archer began his first spell of the day, but he and de Leede managed to negate a four-over burst successfully. 

Durham broke the Sussex shackles as de Leede pulled back-to-back Sandhu balls to the boundary, but the Australian bounced back as Drissell pulled a short one straight to Fynn Hudson-Prentice who was running in from the boundary, which left Durham seven down. 

Things went from bad to worse for Durham as Sandhu got his fourth, removing Ben Raine for 10 as he chipped one straight to Tom Clark at cover. Then Potts didn’t last long as he edged a Robinson delivery behind to Simpson for two. 

Sussex then wrapped up the Durham first innings as Sandhu picked up the final wicket, with Sam Conners caught behind for seven. 

Sussex’s second innings got off to a bad start as Potts struck without a run on the board, with the England man getting Daniel Hughes for a two-ball duck as he chopped on to his off-stump. 

Durham got the Kookaburra ball talking as Ben Raine got Tom Clark for 10, with the Sussex number three edging behind to Ollie Robinson behind the stumps. Potts then got his second, bowling Tom Haines for 12 to leave Sussex in trouble. 

First innings centurion Coles and Danial Ibrahim soaked up some pressure as the task for Sussex changed from quick runs to survival. 

Two rain delays either side of seven deliveries from Conners and de Leede delayed Durham’s hunt for wickets, with an early tea taken. 

Coles, who batted so well on day one, flicked a Conners delivery off his legs for four and he followed that with a nice shot through third region off the bowling of de Leede. 

He then pulled a Conners delivery to the boundary, which continued his excellent match, but there was yet another interruption as the players went off for bad light, which preceded more rain. 

Coles resumed after a third delay with a crunching straight drive off Drissell, and he passed fifty for the second time in the match with it coming from 65 balls. 

The 21-year-old then lost his wicket as Raine bowled him for 53, but the players were off for bad light soon after and when the rain started again, play ended prematurely, with the game drifting towards a draw.

Liam O'Brien Stars as England Defeat India Again in Mixed Disability T20 Series

Sussex-born Liam O'Brien delivered a standout all-round performance to lead England Mixed Disability to a commanding 60-run victory over India, putting the hosts 2-0 up in the seven-match T20 series.

O'Brien was named Player of the Match after smashing a quickfire 55 and claiming 4-30 with the ball in a dominant display at Wormsley, Buckinghamshire.

Fellow Sussex player Alfie Pyle also made his mark, taking 1-30 following his own Player of the Match performance in the series opener.

Match Report

Dan Bowser and Liam O'Brien powered England Men's Mixed Disability to their second win from two games in their ground-breaking series against India.

O'Brien in particular enjoyed a day to remember, with an unbeaten 55 and figures of 4-27 earning him the Player of the Match award at picturesque Wormsley.

Devonian left-handed opener Dan Bowser had initially been the stand-out star of England's batting effort, making 83 from just 61 balls in a partnership 102 with O'Brien, but O'Brien's all-round heroics ultimately defined the day and the victory for Callum Flynn's team.

England's margin of victory was in the end very similar to that in their series opener at Taunton, and they'll be looking for more of the same in the third Vitality Mixed Disability IT20 at Lord's on Wednesday.

Bowser and Price put on 77 for the first wicket before Price and then Flynn fell in quick succession to bring around England's match-winning partnership.

It felt like a steep total for India to chase, and it proved to be the case. Five wickets down after 10 overs was never likely to be the foundation from which to tie the series at one apiece, and in truth there were few positives for the tourists, save some fighting resistance from Narenda Mangore.

England captain Callum Flynn said: "I am absolutely delighted for Liam. I've played with him for a long time and I know what a fantastic cricketer he is, but to see him do it on this stage with both bat and ball is a joy.

"Very few players deserve it more than him, he gives everything for the team and he's absolutely delighted. We're 2-0 up and it's a good start but it is only that, a start. We've got to build on this now at Lord's and stay totally focused on getting over the line to ultimately win the series."

The next fixture between the two sides - on Wednesday at Lord's - forms part of Cricket Disability Day, set to be the biggest ever one-off showcase of disability cricket. Hosted by the MCC, ECB and Lord's Taverners, the England game is the showpiece event amongst a host of other activities and sessions to showcase the progress disability cricket is making and the opportunities open to people living with a disability.

Smile Group Travel Named Official Overseas Travel Partner of Sussex Cricket

Sussex Cricket is pleased to announce a new long-term partnership with Smile Group Travel, who will serve as the club’s Official Overseas Travel Partner through at least 2028.

As well as being appointed to provide overseas group travel to the Club, Smile Group Travel will also partner with the Sussex Cricket Foundation.

Smile Group Travel will sponsor all secondary school cricket competitions for boys and girls that take place across the County for the duration of the contract.

Community Director for the Sussex Cricket Foundation, Gary Wallis-Tayler, said: “I am delighted to be working in partnership with Graeme and the team from Smile Group Travel. 

“Their support will enable us to continue providing schools across the county with competitive playing opportunities, for boys & girls of all abilities.

“Smile Group Travel will also work with us to help provide affordable sport tours across the UK and other areas of the globe, for our school & club network.”

Speaking on the agreement, Graeme Waker, Director of Smile Group Travel, said: “Smile are ecstatic to be working as the travel partner with Sussex again.  We have a long history in working with the club in organising 1st XI and Academy tours and we look forward to helping the club with future overseas tours.  

“Smile are experts in organising tours for all sports across the world. Cricket is a particular area of expertise. As well as a long history working with professional teams we can design and deliver the highest quality of tours for any group to anywhere that cricket is played and we look forward to working with groups across Sussex.”

The new collaboration formally brings together two organisations who have a long-standing working relationship.

Sam Graham, Director of Growth at Sussex Cricket, added: “It’s great to once again be working with Smile Group Travel, an organisation who leads the way in the organisation and management of sports tours across the world. 

“Smile Group are an extremely well established and respected tour provider within the industry, and we look forward to working together in the coming years. 

“I would also thank them for the support they are providing our charitable arm, the Sussex Cricket Foundation.”

About Smile Group Travel

Founded as Smile Caribbean Group Travel in 2009 by Director Graeme Walker, who started looking after touring groups whilst living in Barbados. Smile Group Travel provide high quality sports tours to over 70 long haul, short haul and UK destinations. 

Their expertise means that they are able to identify the very best ground agents in every location they send tours to, providing customers with the best accommodation, excursions, sports fixtures and overall experience.

A half-century from Colin Ackermann helped Durham fight back on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Sussex after Jofra Archer picked up a wicket on his return to red ball cricket. 

James Coles picked up where he left off for Sussex in the morning and took his side to a competitive total of 361 all out, with him finishing unbeaten on 148.

Durham’s response against a Sussex bowling attack which included Archer, got off to a good start, making it to lunch without loss, but they lost skipper Alex Lees just after the break. 

Archer then came into the attack and struck during an exciting spell to leave Durham in a spot of bother in the afternoon. 

However, Durham bounced back in the evening through a partnership worth 76 between Ackermann and Graham Clark, but the loss of Ackermann with the last ball of the day gives Sussex the edge, with Durham on 249 for five and the deficit still 112.

Resuming on 322 for nine, unbeaten centurion Coles and number 11 Gurinder Sandhu were at the crease for Sussex. 

Coles continued to play nicely as he produced a delightful shot down the ground off the bowling of Bas de Leede. 

Coles then used his feet to launch one down the ground from George Drissell, but the spinner wrapped up the innings just three balls later, bowling Sandhu for eight, leaving Coles unbeaten on 148. 

Alex Lees and Emilio Gay were tasked with kicking off Durham’s response and they started in a serene manner. 

Archer then came into the attack and nearly had Gay with his first ball, but Lees was finding things a bit easier as he played a nice on-drive off the bowling of Sandhu which went to the boundary. 

Gay, who initially found life tough against Archer, managed to break the shackles with two boundaries, one through point region and the other off his legs. However, Sussex struck back after lunch as Lees went for 34 when he edged a delivery from Fynn Hudson-Prentice and John Simpson made no mistake behind the stumps. 

Hudson-Prentice continued to probe and offered few opportunities for run scoring as Will Rhodes and Gay consolidated after the wicket. 

Meanwhile, Archer gave Rhodes and Gay a working over with some short stuff, but the Durham batters weren’t falling for the short ball ploy. The England man changed plans and got that vital wicket as he trapped Gay in front for 37, prompting a big celebration from the 30-year-old. 

Archer’s second spell of six overs went for just eight runs, so Durham decided to take the game to Carson as Rhodes and Colin Ackermann picked up a couple of boundaries to relieve some pressure. 

Rhodes then played a glorious straight drive from a Robinson ball which went to the boundary, but he then chipped one straight to Daniel Hughes at cover for 24 to hand the economical Hudson-Prentice a second wicket of the day. 

That brought Durham’s OIlie Robinson to the crease before tea and he decided to take on Hudson-Prentice, picking up 11 runs from four balls, more than he’d gone for in his previous eight overs. 

Archer returned after tea, with Durham’s Robinson edging one which dropped just short of John Simpson, but he bounced back with two consecutive fours including a dab to third region. 

Ackermann then played a glorious cover drive off the bowling of Archer for four, but the fluent Robinson fell to Sandhu for 34 as he nicked one down the legside and Simpson produced an excellent diving catch to his left.

Graham Clark came to the crease and absorbed a bit of pressure before he started to put his foot to the accelerator with back-to-back pull shots from Hudson-Prentice going to the boundary and he followed that up with a cut shot for four. 

Ackermann joined Clark in the hunt for boundaries when he swept a Coles delivery to the rope and the number four passed fifty for the fourth time this season from 115 balls. 

Ackermann, who looked good throughout the innings, was then bowled by Sandhu for 65 with the final ball of the day, which leaves Durham five down while the deficit is still 112.

Alfie Pyle and Liam O'Brien Star for England 

Sussex's Alfie Pyle and Liam O'Brien starred for the England Mixed Disability Team as they kicked off a seven-match IT20 series against India with a 65-run win.

Player of the Match, Alfie Pyle, picked up 2-23, while Liam O'Brien's contribution of 64 runs in a partnership of 122 with skipper Callum Flynn, ensured England kicked off the series in style. 

Match Report

England Men's Mixed Disability team began their historic Vitality IT20 series against India with a convincing 65-run win at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.

Being put into bat by the visitors, England made a positive start through opener Josh Price, who hit 14 from 12 balls before falling to India's Vivek Kumar. 

A 122-run partnership between captain Callum Flynn and Liam O'Brien then put England in control. Flynn scored 70, while O'Brien added 68, with both batters benefiting from a few dropped chances early in their innings. 

Chris Edwards added a quick 9 off 4 balls to push England to 182 for 5 from their 20 overs.

India started their chase well, reaching 45 without loss in the first five overs. The breakthrough came when Edwards came armed with ball in hand, taking two wickets in his first over. England tightened their grip with three run-outs, applying pressure in the field.

India captain, Ravindra Sante, hit 14 from his first five balls but was caught in the 14th over for 24, leaving too much for his team to do as England's Alfie Pyle took 3 for 23 mopping up the tail. India fell short of the target by 65 runs.

The second match of the series will take place at Wormsley on Monday, 23 June at 5pm.

Mixed Disability Vitality IT20 Series

Saturday 21 June: 1st Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability won by 65 runs.

Monday 23 June: 2nd Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Wormsley, 5pm

Wednesday 25 June: 3rd Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Lord's, 3.30pm

Friday 27 June: 4th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Worcester, 12pm

Sunday 29 June: 5th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Worcester, 2.30pm

Tuesday 1 July: 6th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Bristol, 2pm

Thursday 3 July: 7th Mixed Disability Vitality IT20: England Men’s Mixed Disability v India Men’s Mixed Disability, Bristol, 6.30pm

It's a return to the red ball for Paul Farbrace's Sussex side for the next fortnight, starting with a lengthy voyage to the Seat Unique Riverside Stadium in Durham as they look to continue their fine form to life back in Division One.

It was roughly a month ago when Sussex last played in the competition, and what a fine match it was as Sussex cruised to a nine-wicket win over their neighbours. Henry Crocombe returned and was exceptional. John Simpson smashed a century. And Jack Carson took a fifer to wrap things up. 

After seven matches, Sussex sit in third position - 20 points off top spot.

The Opposition

But now the spotlight swivels onto our northernmost county: Durham. They, too, have enjoyed a promising start with two wins and three losses. Graham Clark and Alex Lees have been their finest batters of the campaign to date, with the pair racking up almost 1000 runs between them this season. The perenially potent Colin Ackermann, too, helps bolster both their batting and bowling attack.

But it's been Ben Raine and Matthew Potts that have taken the most scalps thus far, with the latter eying a route back into the England Test squad.

Squad

Paul Farbrace has selected a 14-player squad for the journey to Durham.

Gurinder Sandhu makes his debut for the county after agreeing terms in the winter, whilst Ollie Robinson returns to the squad.

Archer, Carson, Carter, Clark, Coles, Crocombe, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hughes, Ibrahim, Karvelas, Robinson, Sandhu, Simpson* (wk)

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.

The action gets underway tomorrow at 11am. 

Alexia Walker's Sharks return to action on Vitality Blast action on Sunday as they host Kent Women at the 1st Central County Ground.

In a close match - and one that demonstrated the side's vast improvement - the Sharks suffered a narrow defeat to Glamorgan in their previous Blast match by a mere 5 runs. That was the third time they've faced each other this season already, and every match has finished increasingly closer. 

It leaves the Sharks in third position in the Vitality Blast Women League Two South Group, having won one and lost two from their opening three matches.

The Opposition

Kent Women, too, make the short hop across the county border holding a similar record: played two, won one, lost one. Kent have already headed to Hove this season, where a brilliant Mollie Adams knock of 76 and a fine bowling displayed helped Sussex to a 42-run victory in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.

Kent's last match was an impressive win over Gloucestershire in Bristol last week, with Amy Gordon and Elsa Barnfather showing brilliance with the bat to help them to a hefty total. 

Squad

Alexia Walker has picked a 13-player squad for the match with Kent Women tomorrow:

Mollie Adams, Anna Buckle, Izzy Collis, Kali-Ann Docherty, Indigo Gentry, Chiara Green, Nancy Harman*, Tia Joseph, Rachel King, Anna Lewis, Eve O’Neill, Talitha Stanley, Jazz Westley

Ticket Information

It's set to be another scorcher at Hove tomorrow and with tickets starting from £10, it's the perfect excuse to spend the day in the sun supporting the Sharks. Click here to purchase your tickets today.

Entry is free for all Blast Pass holders, and Sixes is FREE.

There will also be a foundation women's softball tournament on the outfield prior to the match.

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.

The action gets underway tomorrow at 3pm. 

Sussex World Blog: Mollie Adams 

The Sussex Sharks Women return to T20 Blast action at The 1st Central County Ground this Sunday, welcoming Kent to Hove, and ahead of that crunch fixture, wicket-keeper batter Mollie Adams penned an exclusive blog for Sussex World.

Mollie discusses everything from playing for Sussex at Hove, what she loves about the city of Brighton and the positive changes happening in the world of Women's cricket.

Read the full blog by clicking here.