Jofra Archer and Ollie Robinson Sign Contract Extensions

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce that Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer have both signed one-year contract extensions with the Club.

Archer has been with Sussex since 2016 and has taken 181 first-class wickets, as well as 44 T20 wickets and 42 Test wickets for England in 13 matches. 

The explosive fast-bowler was also the leading wicket-taker for England in the 2019 ICC World Cup, where he bowled the historic super-over to help England beat New Zealand to the trophy. 

This year, Jofra made his return from injury in a Second XI game for Sussex before joining the England Men’s T20 squad at the ICC T20 World Cup, where his 10 wickets helped England to the semi-finals. 

Jofra has also been made available for selection by the ECB for the home T20 quarter-final against Lancashire Lightning on 4th September.

Archer joins fellow seamer, Ollie Robinson, who has also signed a one-year contract extension.

Robinson joined Sussex in 2015 and has since featured in 97 First-Class matches taking 423 wickets at an average of 21.11.

The England Test bowler has been a key figure in the Sussex attack in both the County Championship and T20 Blast this season. 

In the County Championship in 2024 Robinson has taken 27 wickets at an average of 24.33 and has also picked up 16 wickets in the Blast, helping the Sussex Sharks to secure a quarter-final place. 

Robinson has also taken 76 Test wickets in 20 matches at an average of 22.92.

Speaking on signing an extension, Jofra said: “I am delighted to have signed another contract with Sussex, Hove feels like home to me, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

On his new deal, Ollie Robinson, said: “I'm very pleased to extend my contract at Sussex for another year, the cricket we've played this year shows that we are going in a great direction as a team.

"I am looking forward to being a part of that for another year and to see us push on again as a Club.”

Sussex Head Coach, Paul Farbrace, added: “I am delighted that both Jofra and Oliver have extended their contracts with the Club for another year. 

“It is fantastic to see Jofra back playing and being able to enjoy his high level of skill on the field. 

“He has made a significant contribution to club, even when he has not been able to play, and the pre-season camp to India was a great example of this.

“Oliver has played a key role for the team this season in both the County Championship and the Blast, and he has contributed hugely to the on-field progress we have made as a Club. 

“We look forward to him continuing to help the club win games and continue to develop our talented squad.”

Sussex Sharks VI vs Berkshire VI: Match Report

On Saturday 27th July Sussex hosted Berkshire in the quarter finals of the David Townley Memorial T20 cup. Sussex were looking to defend the trophy they won last year and on paper it looked a tough ask for Berkshire who play in the 3rd tier of Blind cricket, the Southern Development league.

Sussex won the toss and T20 skipper Ian "Tiny" Morris asked Berkshire to have a bat. 

The opening Partnership of Berkshire skipper Tom Froud (30) and Chris Wallace (20) safely negotiated the first 10 overs, with Berkshire 44 without loss at the break, it was clear they needed to accelerate to post a challenging total.

With the score on 54 Chris Wallace fell to a regulation catch in the deep by Joe Harrison and this led to a flurry of wickets. 

Totally blind bat Mushfiq Ahmed was run out without facing a ball and this was the first of three run outs as the sharpness of Sussex ground fielding was a world away from what Berkshire usually experience in the development league. 

When Tom's battling innings ended with the score on 84 the runs dried up and the 20 overs yielded Berkshire 97 for 7, with just two boundaries.

The Sussex innings started with a bang as Mark Bond (31) and Si Ledwith (40 not out) worked the ball into gaps and were scoring at well over 10 an over. 

When Bond got a leading edge to give Tom Froud a caught and bowled it brought totally blind Dave Daniels to the crease, and his 12 not-out off just six balls saw the Sharks home after just 7 overs.

Whilst the gulf in class was evident Berkshire were unlucky to come up against a Sharks side that are in top form now, and they showed they are probably ready to step up into the 2nd Division of the National League.

That result meant the Sharks have qualified the Dave Townley Memorial T20 Finals Day taking place at Wolverhampton CC on 21st September 2024. 

The Sharks will face Somerset VICC in the first semi-final, with London Metro and Northants Steelbacks fighting out the other. 

Sussex Cricket launches Foundation Pathway Development Programme

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce the launch of the new Foundation Pathway Development Programme, a significant update to the Club’s Talent Development Framework.

The new programme is a response to a number of recommendations made by the ICEC Report in relation to delivering a more localised Pathway that requires cricketers from U9s to U12s to travel less to play cricket and provide them with even more opportunities to access the game. 

Previously managed by the Cricket Performance Department, the new setup will now be run by the Sussex Cricket Foundation, and will see programmes running in North, South, East and West Sussex.

The new programme will then lead into the County Age Group Programme from U13s upwards, as designated by the ECB and will continue to be run by the Cricket Performance Department.

The Girls Cricket Pathway will continue to run as normal in 2025 whilst we continue to discuss how the programme will operate in the future following Sussex Cricket becoming a ‘Tier 2’ county.

These changes will come into effect from September 2024.

The Foundation Development Programme will be managed by Matt Parsons, Territory Manager for the Sussex Cricket Foundation, and will involve coaches already involved in the existing programme.

Sussex Cricket and the Sussex Cricket Foundation are extremely excited by the changes and are fully committed to delivering even more high-quality programmes, developing homegrown players and helping to provide outstanding local talent for the Sussex Men’s and Women’s First Teams in the future. 

Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Director for the Sussex Cricket Foundation, added: “We are excited to be relaunching our area cricket programme, a programme that was successful previously. 

“The Foundation is committed to making cricket accessible to all, providing opportunities for people to play and breaking down barriers associated to the game.”

Keith Greenfield, Director of Pathways and Cricket Partnerships added: “This programme will help break down barriers, whilst creating an accessible pathway to help talented cricketers across the county to fulfil their potential. 

“We are looking forward to working closely with our Professional Cricket Department to deliver a high-quality programme.”

Further details of the programmes for this coming winter will be provided in due course. 

New Pathway Structure

Sussex Women Triumph Over Essex and Hertfordshire

Sussex Women beat both Essex Women and Hertfordshire Women yesterday to cement their place at the top of Group 3 in the Women’s County T20 competition.

In the first match of the day, Sussex won the toss and elected to put Essex into the field but having lost openers Izzy Collis (4) and Lucy Western (2), hosts Essex would have been the happier of the two sides with the decision. 

Wicket-keeper Mollie Adams and batter Nancy Harman responded well, building a useful partnership of 27 runs to stem the flow of early wickets.

Harman scored quickly as she reached 43 from 35 balls, before skipper Chiara Green smashed her way to an unbeaten 48 to give Sussex a score to defend. 

Essex would need 136 to win but the Sussex bowlers managed to contain them by taking wickets at regular intervals. 

Anna Buckle and Beth Harvey picked up two wickets a piece and the final wicket of Essex’s Scarlett Hughes came by run-out from Lucy Western. Sussex eventually won by 19 runs.

In their second outing Sussex lost the toss and their opponents Hertfordshire elected to bat.

The Sussex bowling attack obliged by restricting Herts to just 66-6 from their 20 overs.

Beth Harvey was among the wickets once again, taking 3-9 from her 3 overs, including two maidens. 

Nancy Harman followed up her performance with the bat in the first game by taking two wickets in the second, with Daisy Gibb also picking up a wicket. 

Sussex went out to bat knowing they would need just 67 runs to make it two wins from two on the day, however the Hertfordshire bowlers ensured the task never looked a simple one.

The Sussex top-order found the chase difficult initially, as they fell to 24-4. It was left to the middle-order to secure the win, with Millie Taylor finishing on an unbeaten 19. 

She shared a fifth wicket stand of 38 with skipper Chiara Green to ensure Sussex won the game by 3 wickets. 

Photo credit: Saud Ahmed

Sussex Sharks vs Warwickshire: Match Report

Warwickshire continued their fine start to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup competition when they made it three wins out of three in five days – and all away from home, with the Test match taking place at Edgbaston.

But they made hard work of this victory, scraping home by one wicket after looking clear favourites, having dismissed Sussex for an under-par 173.  

They slumped to 76 for five to put the match in the balance.  And then, with the job done once more, they lost three wickets with the score on 149 to set up a nail-biting finale, before last man Oliver Hannon-Dalby edged Jack Carson for two to win the game.

Sussex won just one match in this competition last season and their chances of progressing from Group B already look doubtful after defeats in their opening two games.  But they fought to the end in this one.

Warwickshire were runaway favourites after dismissing Sussex in just 35 overs. But Sussex broke through in the third over, when Rob Yates skied Ari Karvelas to backwaed square-leg.

It was 13 for two in the sixth when Ed Barnard edged Henry Crocombe to the keeper and 27 for three when Hamza Shaikh, who had survived a confident appeal for caught behind on one, added just a single before lifting the same bowler to mid-on.

Once again the bowlers were on top. Former Sussex player Michael Burgess was lbw to Fynn Hudson-Prentice for 11 and when Karvelas yorked Chris Benjamin for 12 the Bears were struggling at 76 for five after 19 overs.

But then a partnership of 73 in 16 overs between Will Rhodes and Kai Smith put Warwickshire in charge once more.  

Rhodes, on the day after he announced he would be departing for Durham next season, showed the Bears what they will be missing with an obdurate 60 from 102 deliveries.  

And Smith took the attack to the bowlers a run-a-ball 44.  But then Smith mishit to mid-off and Hudson-Prentice produced a double wicket maiden next over, dismissing Rhodes and Michael Booth.  When Tazeem Ali was ninth out at 168 they still needed six runs, but Jake Lintott and Hannon-Dalby held firm to see their side over the line.

Warwickshire decided to bowl first but captain Barnard must have reflected on his choice after Sussex openers Tom Clark and Tom Haines put on 70 in the first 10-over powerplay. But Sussex lost all ten wickets for 72 runs in 25 overs. 

Neither Clark (32) nor Haines (38) was able to build on a promising beginning, both falling lbw to Booth, who generated some nippy pace bowling up the hill from the sea end.  

Returning to the Warwickshire team – along with Yates – Booth was the quickest and most threatening of the Warwickshire bowlers.  

He dismissed Clark with the last ball of his first over, Haines with the second ball of his third.  And when Oli Carter ran himself for 11 the match had changed shape.

There would be no substantial recovery. Hudson-Prentice, Danial Ibrahim and John Simpson all failed to make double figures, although the very promising Henry Rogers scored an unbeaten 25 as he attempted to shepherd the tail. 

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network 

Reaction from Fynn Hudson-Prentice 

Sussex Sharks vs Warwickshire: Match Preview

The Metro Bank One Day Cup returns to The 1st Central County Ground tomorrow, with Sussex Sharks welcoming Warwickshire for the first home game of this year's competition. Paul Farbrace has named a 16-player squad for the first home game of the campaign.

Squad

Campbell, Carson, Carter, Clark, Crocombe, Foreman, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hunt, Ibrahim, Karvelas, Lenham, Lion-Cachet, Rogers, Simpson* (wk), Tear

Team News

Charlie Tear and Jack Carson are added to the squad that played against Notts Outlaws. 

There is still time to get your One Day Cup Pass!

Take advantage of a fantastic offer and save 50% watching the Sharks this July and August! Get four matches for the price of two with our One Day Cup Pass.

You can purchase tickets to all four home games from as little as £10 for Juniors and £20 for adults! Click here to get your pass now.

Or if you'd just like to buy a ticket for tomorrow's game, click here. 

Livestream 

If you can't make it down to Hove to see the Sharks live, you can watch every, ball, wicket and run on our livestream, alongside a scorecard and blog, updated in real-time. 

Visit our Match Day Centre to watch the stream. 

Sussex Cricket Launches Range of Pride-Inspired Kit

Sussex Cricket is proud to launch a special range of Pride-inspired kit, which is now available for Members and fans to order direct from the official online Club Shop.

Supplied by KitKing, the new range includes Nike training tops for both men and women, as well as a special edition of this year’s official One Day Cup shirt. 

The launch of the new apparel follows the recent announcement that the One Day Cup match between Sussex Sharks and Leicestershire Foxes on Sunday 4th August has been selected as the Club’s first-ever Pride Match and will be the first-ever cricket event officially endorsed by Brighton & Hove Pride. 

Click here to order yours today!

Notts Outlaws vs Sussex Sharks: Match Report

Ben Slater and Haseeb Hameed made unbeaten centuries as Nottinghamshire Outlaws bounced back from defeat at Leicester in their opening match with a eight-wicket victory over Sussex Sharks in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup match at the picturesque home of Welbeck Cricket Club in the north of the county.

Opener Slater, who averages more than 53 in the List A format, again demonstrated his penchant for 50-over cricket by scoring 107 with Outlaws skipper Hameed making 101 not out as they shared a county List A third-wicket record partnership of 209 to inflict a heavy opening-match defeat on their Group B opponents.

Sussex were bowled out in the 48th over for 216 despite Fynn Hudson-Prentice’s 90 from 109 balls. The all-rounder hit nine fours and a six but found himself ploughing almost a lone furrow in an under-par performance by his side, who have up to now enjoyed a successful season, booking a home quarter-final in the Vitality Blast and building a healthy lead in Division Two of the Vitality County Championship.

Luke Fletcher (three for 35) and Toby Pettman (three for 44) were the most successful Outlaws seamers, although Brett Hutton, who took one for 41 bowling his 10 overs in a single spell, made a strong comeback after three months out with an Achilles injury. Left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White (two for 35) also impressed.

The Outlaws stuttered at the start of their chase, finding themselves eight for two after losing Freddie McCann for two and Jack Haynes without scoring, but Sussex were unable to make any further inroads as their opponents cruised home with 50 balls to spare. 

The 19-year-old McCann, in his second List A appearance following his debut at Leicester on Wednesday, spooned a catch to mid-on off Ari Karvelas, while Haynes registered his second consecutive duck with a loose shot that had him caught behind, after which Slater was fortunate with a top-edge off Karvelas that flashed just out of the wicketkeeper’s reach.

But with a required rate of only 4.34 runs per over and a quick outfield, Slater and Hameed did not need to take risks and were able to comfortably pace their innings once the newness of the balls had worn off, moving the total to 48 for two from 10 overs, 93 for two from 20, and 140 for two from 30.

Slater found the gaps regularly enough to pass fifty for the 18th time in this format from 54 balls with eight boundaries, Hameed reaching his from 69 balls with his third four, a return to form he will have enjoyed after enduring a lean time in 2023, if not the shot that took him there, a streaky edge off the leg-spin of Archie Lenham.

The left-handed Slater was seldom troubled, reaching his seventh List A hundred when he pulled Karvelas for his 13th boundary as the Outlaws closed in on their target, Hameed hitting the same bowler for six, four, four and one to complete his.
 
Sussex found the going tough from the outset after opting to bat first. The pitch seemed to lack pace and, in the face of excellent, tight bowling at both ends from Hutton and Fletcher, they lost both openers for 33 by the second ball of the 11th over.

Tom Clark nibbled at one outside off stump off Hutton before Tom Haines edged his drive against Fletcher, Tom Moores doing the rest behind the stumps. 

Joined by Hudson-Prentice, Oli Carter sought to rebuild but the arrival of Pettman in the attack made scoring no easier. 

The 26-year-old seamer, who has had limited opportunities in his four years with Nottinghamshire, was making his first senior appearance since last August but made it count with two wickets in two balls as a frustrated Carter found the fielder at mid-on and Sussex captain John Simpson was leg before.

Simpson’s dismissal exposed Sussex’s inexperienced middle-order and Hudson-Prentice soon lost two more partners as 19-year-old Daniel Ibraham was caught at slip and 18-year-old Henry Rogers, on debut, skied to long-on as Patterson-White found immediate turn.

Hudson-Prentice and 20-year old off-spinner Bertie Foreman added 64 before some smart relay fielding involving extra cover Ben Slater, bowler Lyndon James and ‘keeper Tom Moores ran out the younger player.

Fletcher returned to dismiss Lenham caught behind and Karvelas via a miscued pull, in between which Hudson-Prentice cracked consecutive boundaries off Pettman before he was caught at mid-off, as Sussex were all out with almost three overs wasted.

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Bertie Foreman

Notts Outlaws vs Sussex Sharks: Match Preview

The Metro Bank One Day cup is back for another season and Sussex Sharks open their campaign with a trip to the John Fretwell Centre, Sookholme to play Notts Outlaws. Sharks Head Coach Paul Farbrace has named a 14-player squad for the game, which gets underway at 11am tomorrow.

Squad

Campbell, Carter, Clark, Crocombe, Foreman, Haines, Hudson-Prentice, Hunt, Ibrahim, Karvelas, Lenham, Lion-Cachet, Rogers, Simpson* (wk)

Team News

Charlie Tear is currently away with Scotland and Jack Carson is rested for the the first game. 

Danny Lamb will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained during the Blast game against Middlesex. Everyone at the Club wishes Danny a speedy recovery after a fantastic first season at Sussex. #GOSBTS

Our Opponents 

Preview by Jon Culley – ECB Reporters Network

Captain: Haseeb Hameed

Overseas players: None

2023 finish: Fifth (Group A)

2023 leading run scorer: Matt Montgomery (286)

2023 leading wicket takers: Brett Hutton, Dane Paterson (11)

Key player: Opening bat Ben Slater had a modest 2023 season by his own standards, but still boasts a remarkable List A career average of 52.18. A return to the form that has earned him six hundreds and 17 fifties in this format could be key to a stronger showing by Nottinghamshire.

Keep an eye on: Sam King, a 21-year-old batter who impressed on his two Metro Bank One-Day Cup appearances last season, and marked his T20 debut last week with 44 off 25 balls as Nottinghamshire ended a dismal Vitality Blast campaign with a win at Yorkshire.  An extended run in the 50-over format should be on the cards.

Final thought: After an uncharacteristically poor Vitality Blast, Nottinghamshire have something to prove in this competition. Joint leading wicket-taker Dane Paterson is headed for the West Indies with South Africa, which leaves them with no overseas player, but there is still enough experience and potential in the squad to make an impact.

How to Watch

As ever, you can watch every single ball, free of charge on our livestream via the Match Day Centre. The first ball tomorrow is at 11am.

Photo credit: Saud Ahmed

Danny Lamb to Miss Remainder of the Season

Sussex Cricket can today confirm that sadly Danny Lamb will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained during the Blast match against Middlesex. 

Everyone at the Club wishes Danny a speedy recovery and congratulates him on fantastic first season at Sussex.

Sussex Head Coach, Paul Farbrace, said: "Danny has settled into life at Hove brilliantly, he has played a huge role in the on field progress the team has made this season and will be greatly missed for the rest of the campaign. He is a hugely popular lad, and we all look forward to having him back with us very soon." #GOSBTS