Record-Breaking Sussex Sharks VI Parade T20 Trophy 

Last week T20 champions, the Visually Impaired Sussex Sharks, were special guests of honour at The 1st Central County Ground for the T20 Blast fixture between the Sharks and Glamorgan, where they paraded their 2023 BCEW T20 trophy in front of the home fans at Hove.

The players of the cup-winning squad were welcomed onto the pitch with warm applause from the Sussex faithful, as they returned to the venue where they lifted the trophy in May, in a rescheduled final from 2023.

That match was the second of two disability cricket fixtures held at The 1st Central County Ground, a first for any County across the country and was also preceded by DIScoverABILITY Day on the Friday, the Sussex Cricket Foundation's flagship disability sport event.

It was a spectacular performance on the day from the Sussex Sharks VI, who cruised to a 226-run victory over fellow finalists Northants.

The trophy was the fourth in as many years for the Sussex Sharks VI, who lead the way across the country when it comes to success within the game. 

As well as parading the trophy, the playing squad were joined by sponsors, Webtrends Optimize and Sussex Men's Head Coach, Paul Farbrace for pictures at the dugouts.

Speaking on the team's success, Sussex Sharks VI player, Dan Field said: "It was a huge honour to win the trophy at The 1st Central County Ground.

"Sussex are the only County in the country that put so much effort into not just hosting the games, but just the way the team are treated, the access to the changing rooms and the full experience. 

"There was a fantastic ground, we played on a professional wicket and to win on the day was lovely!"

To find out more about disability cricket and the Sussex Cricket Foundation, please visit: https://sussexcricket.co.uk/sussex-cricket-foundation/disability-cricket 

Sharks vs Hampshire Hawks: Match Preview

Tomorrow the Sharks look to bounce back from defeat to Glamorgan, welcoming Hampshire Hawks to The 1st Central County Ground, one of five remaining Blast games left in the group stages. Paul Farbrace has named a XX-player squad for the game, which starts at 7pm.

Squad

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

Ticket Information

Tickets are still available to purchase for tomorrow night's Blast game. There are only 3 home Blast group games left. If the Sharks make the quarter-finals, you'll get priority access to get your ticket if you've already purchased a Blast ticket this season.

Click here to buy yours today. 

How to Watch

As ever, every single ball of the action will be available to watch for free on our livestream via our Match Day Centre. 

London Metro vs Sussex Sharks VI: Sharks Sitting Top of the League

On Saturday 6th July second place Sussex hosted league leaders London Metro at Blackstone on a blustery day. The threat of rain never materialised except for a couple of brief showers and having won the toss, Metro had no hesitation in asking their hosts to bat.

It was clear the gusty wind was going to play a  role as the early overs saw extras play a large part and the Sharks openers struggled to time the ball. 

The Sharks innings began to pick up pace as Si Ledwith (83* ) and Dan Field (94) upped the scoring rate and it looked as though  an early declaration would be called. 

After Dan departed the scoring rate slowed and the Sharks finally declared at the end of the 30th over with the score on 234 for 5. This meant the Sharks had secured all four batting bonus points whilst Metro had secured just the two bowling points.

As the wind died down and Metro began their innings, the usually miserly Sharks attack were guilty of giving too many loose deliveries which were mercilessly punished by the Metro openers. 

Nick Ebeck was the first wicket to fall on 77, but at the halfway stage Metro were looking on course to overhaul the Sharks total.

The game turned when Matt Dean who had scored 83 off just 53 balls was caught spectacularly by Callum Weir at backward square. 

At this point Metro, were 134 for 2  and whilst the win was still possible they were caught in two minds as to whether to chase hard, or dig in for the draw. 

Wickets began to fall but Metro looked to have plenty in hand. In desperation, Dan threw the ball to part timer Mark Bond, his loopy leg spin inducing false shots and his 2-8  then opened the door. 

Phil Daniels then cleaned up the stubborn Sam Hoskins and the unlikeliest of wins seemed possible. 

Callum Weir was handed the ball for the last over with Metro having two wickets left. Skipper Rory Field dealt with the first four balls solidly before inexplicably playing a shot and being clean-bowled. 

This left totally blind Hashmuk Mtha with 1  ball to defend to save the game. He duly gently patted it back for Metro to secure the draw.

Metro's 175-9 meant they had secured three batting points whilst Sussex gained all four bowling points. This proved significant as Sussex's 14 points versus Metro's 11 saw the home team move to the top of division one,  just two points ahead of Metro at the halfway stage of the competition.

England Women vs New Zealand Women: Spectator Information

England Women return to The 1st Central County Ground tonight to take on New Zealand Women in the second of three IT20’s. The match is a sellout and we’ve pulled together all the information you need to plan your evening with us. 

Gate Opening Times

The first ball is at 630pm with hospitality guests welcome from 430pm and general admission from 5pm. 

Entrances

There are two entrances to the ground. The main gate is on Eaton Road adjacent to The Sussex Cricketer pub. 

The other gate is located at the North end of Palmeira Avenue at the Northeast corner of the ground.

Attendees with a valid match day ticket can gain admission from either gate

How to Get Here

The 1st Central County Ground is located on Eaton Road, Hove, a short walk from Hove railway station and numerous local bus stops.

For full information on how to get here, please click here. 

Freebies and Activations

#WeGotGame

Keep an eye out for the We Got Game activation area, where you'll find a photobooth, interactive screens, have-a-go area and plenty of giveaways.

4 & 6 Cards

Plenty of free 4 & 6 Cards will be available around the ground to help you celebrate every boundary plus, don't forget to grab your free scorecard!

Food and beverages

A variety of food units will be on site to ensure you do not go hungry or thirsty during the action. Whether you're looking for a hot or cold snack, tea, coffee or maybe an alcoholic beverage, we've got you covered. 

Please be aware that alcohol is not permitted to be brought into The 1st Central County Ground for international fixtures.

Multi-faith and Changing Places rooms

For those spectators who require a room to practice their faith, or time spend some time in contemplation, the Multi-faith room is open to people from any background or religion. 

The space, which opened this summer is located adjacent to the indoor school at the Cromwell Road End of the ground, next to the outdoor nets. 

We also have a dedicated Changing Places Room, available for anyone to use, regardless of your access needs, disability or if you rely on assistance or carers or specialist equipment. 

The Changing Places Room is in front of the Indoor School on the Eaton Road side of the ground. 

A Cashless Venue

We’d like to remind all spectators that The 1st Central County Ground is now a cashless venue. 

This means that only card or contactless payments will be accepted (including Apple Pay and Google Pay) throughout our venue. 

This will apply to all outlets at Hove, including food and beverage kiosks, ticketing, membership and our Club retail shop.

Cricket is for Everyone

Sussex is for everyone. Cricket is for everyone. Call it out!

That’s why we are committed to our zero-tolerance policy when it comes to discrimination, anti-social behaviour and abuse in all its forms.

If you witness racist of homophobic abuse, or any form of discrimination or anti-social behaviour you can anonymously text ‘SHARKS’ plus details of the incident, to 07840852792.

Smoking and Vaping 

Out of respect to fellow supporters we would remind you that smoking and vaping is only permitted in the outer perimeter road and strictly not within the seating areas of the venue. Thank you for your cooperation.

Tickets for the match are SOLD OUT!

Tickets for the game tomorrow are sold out, so please do not arrive at the gate if you do not have one.

Weather Information

With rain expected today, we would like to remind spectators that a decision to reduce or call the game off will not be made until the umpires have assessed conditions and the pitch on the evening. Therefore, we advise spectators to arrive as normal for the game, unless told otherwise. 

We will provide updates on changes to the game as they happen.

Refund & Rollback policy

Should rain impact the fixture, if less than 10 overs are played, our Refund & Rollback Policy will be in place. To view the policy, click here.

How to Watch

Tonight's IT20 game will be shown live on Sky Sports Cricket and will not be available on our livestream. 

Sharks vs Glamorgan: Match Report

Glamorgan won only their third victory in this season’s Vitality Blast as they beat Sussex Sharks by 24 runs under the DLS method at The 1st Central County Ground.

The visitors laid the foundations for a huge total of 235 for 6 – the third-highest in their Blast history - when they plundered 81 in the powerplay as Sussex badly missed the control with the new ball.

Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson, who hit a career-best 87 off 47 balls before he was caught at extra cover in the 19th over, one of four wickets for Sussex skipper Tymal Mills who is now the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 19.

Daniel Hughes led Sussex’s response with 74 off 38 balls, his fourth half-century in this season’s competition, but having been set an unlikely 79 from 28 deliveries following a 50-minute rain delay they finished on 190 for 8 and slipped to their third defeat of the season, although they remain second in the South Group.

Carlson and co. set the tone by thrashing 75 in the first five overs after Glamorgan were put in, including 60 in boundaries. It needed a great slower ball by Mills to stymie their progress which Will Smale pulled to mid-wicket after hitting eight fours and a six in a stand of 79 from just 33 balls. Carlson then put on 72 off 37 with Tom Bevan and 47 off 24 with Colin Ingram to maintain their momentum.

Glamorgan might have fancied posting a score of 250-plus when they had 194 on the board after 15 overs but, spearheaded by Mills, Sussex dragged it back slightly by taking four wickets and only conceding 39 in the final five.

Mills led the way with 4 for 29 as Ingram missed a straight one and Marnus Labuschagne drove to mid-on before he snared Carlson, who struck three sixes and nine fours, only to be foxed by Mills’ speciality slower ball with a century in his sights.

Sussex were left needing to score at nearly 12 an over but after losing Harrison Ward in the second over Australian Hughes and another left-hander, Clark, added 55 in 27 balls to keep their challenge alive.

But leg-spinner Mason Crane made an immediate impact when he came on in the seventh over with two wickets in his first three balls. Clark was stumped when he missed a googly and James Coles lost his middle stump heaving across the line.

Hughes and John Simpson shared 49 off 31 balls but the required rate had climbed to 14.75 when Simpson failed to clear long on in the 12th over. Hughes hit two sixes off Chris Sole when play resumed at 10.10pm but then he holed out to deep backward-square to effectively end Sussex’s hopes. 

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Dan Hughes after his fourth Blast half-century for the Sharks

Sharks vs Glamorgan: Please Arrive on Time

The Blast is back! But so is the rain this morning. A decision in a reduction in play can only be made by the match referee and umpires, this will not be decided until later this evening. Therefore, we advise spectators to arrival as usual for the game. Any further updates will be communicated during the evening as we get them.

Gates open at 530pm, with play due to start at 7pm.

You can find all the information you need regarding potential refunds if play is cancelled, by viewing our Refund and Rollback Policy. 

We look forward to welcoming you back to The 1st Central County Ground to watch the Sharks in Blast action!

Sharks vs Glamorgan: Match Preview

The Blast is back! The Sharks return to T20 action tomorrow night at 7pm at The 1st Central County Ground, with Glamorgan the opponents. Sharks Head Coach Paul Farbrace has named a 16-player squad for the game. 

Squad

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

Team News

Tom Clark is in the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained before the start of the Vitality T20 Blast.

Glamorgan Tickets Selling Fast

The Sharks are back in action at The 1st Central County Ground this tomorrow night, and tickets are selling fast.

Don't miss out on your chance to see the Sharks in one of only four remaining home games this summer. 

Plus, you can use promo code: T20GROUPS for 10% off all bookings of 6 or more tickets. Click here to purchase yours today.

Can't make the game?

As ever, every ball of the action will be available to watch free of charge on our livestream via our Match Day Centre.

Bring Your 1st Central Hair Headband for a Chance to Win £50!

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 £50 voucher.

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.

Starting this Friday 5th when the Sharks take on Glamorgan 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 £50 voucher. 

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.

As ever, we thank you for your cooperation and for supporting the Sharks this summer. 

Glamorgan Tickets Selling Fast

The Sharks are back in action at The 1st Central County Ground this Friday night, and tickets are selling fast.

Don't miss out on your chance to see the Sharks in one of only four remaining home games this summer. 

Plus, you can use promo code: T20GROUPS for 10% off all bookings of 6 or more tickets. Click here to purchase yours today.

Harrison Ward: Blasting the Sharks to Success

It's been a successful opening 8 games in the Blast for the Sharks so far this season, and explosive opener Harrison Ward has been vital to that success at the top of the order. We caught up with him ahead of the Blast resuming this Friday against Glamorgan to find out what he's made of the team's performances up until now.

Harrison, firstly your assessment of the campaign so far?

I think it’s been very good so far! To be 6 wins from 8 games and second in the table puts us in a strong position going into the second block of blast games. Everyone who’s played has contributed in some way which shows we have match winners the whole way down our side. 

Results this year so far have been much better, particularly at home, what do you put that down to?

I’d put it down to us as a group always taking the positive whether it’s with bat or ball. The coaching staff and Millsy have backed everyone who’s played to take that option and it’s showed in games where we’ve looked behind with the bat and lads down the order have got us up to very good scores. And with the ball we’re taking wickets consistently through our 20 overs. 

You had to wait for your chance to get in the team, but you’ve grabbed it with both hands – two big half-centuries already, you must be extremely happy with the impact you’ve had at the top of the order?

It’s been good to contribute to a couple of wins. I had to stay patient last year for a chance as well so I knew that if I kept myself in a good place mentally that when I got a chance that it would give me the best chance to score runs. 

You’ve opened with Dan Hughes, you both seem to complement each other so well, what’s it like playing with him and how much has he impressed you?

He’s been excellent for us. We seem to hit the ball in different areas which always helps. He’s also kept me calm in situations that I could have thrown my wicket away and kept me focused. I think he’s impressed everyone, not just me and hopefully he can keep his form going for the rest of the tournament. 

It really has been a team effort across the games, everyone chipping in with runs and wickets – it seems to everyone on the outside that there is a real togetherness and team spirit among the group?

There definitely is! The championship team started the season off so well and it feels like we have carried that into the t20 blast. Everyone is enjoying playing with each other and therefore backing each other to do well and that makes it easier to put in performances. 

Six games still left to play, with plenty of tough fixtures in there, how confident are you and the team of continuing the great form you’ve already shown this year?

I think it would be very easy to look ahead at what could come at the end of the group stages. However, every game we’ve played so far, we have gone into focusing purely on that game and we will do that for the rest of the tournament and see where it takes us. 

Paul has mentioned the goal was to get to the next stage of the competition, but there must be some quiet confidence among the group that you could go further and make finals day?

As much as you want to focus on the next game. Everyone at the start of a new season looks at final’s day as the big event in the domestic calendar and wants to play in it. I think if we keep playing the way we are then I see no reason why we can’t get to finals day as everyone is contributing and playing well.

Glamorgan Tickets Selling Fast

The Sharks are back in action at The 1st Central County Ground this Friday night, and tickets are selling fast.

Don't miss out on your chance to see the Sharks in one of only four remaining home games this summer. 

Plus, you can use promo code: T20GROUPS for 10% off all bookings of 6 or more tickets. Click here to purchase yours today.

Northamptonshire vs Sussex: Day Three Match Report

Sussex quick bowler Nathan McAndrew took five wickets, including two in three balls, to power his county to victory over Northamptonshire and cement their place at the top of the Vitality County Championship Division Two.

Australian overseas signing McAndrew, who removed both openers yesterday, finished with figures of five for 73 as Northamptonshire were bowled out for 220, Sussex winning by 63 runs.

A short, fiery spell from overlooked England seamer Ollie Robinson did the early damage in gloomy, drizzly conditions. Robinson found plenty of bounce and carry to remove both not out Northamptonshire batters, Matthew Breetzke and Rob Keogh inside the first 20 minutes of this third morning at Wantage Road. It was a spell which effectively dashed the hosts’ remaining hopes of chasing 284 to win.

While Robinson went off with a niggle soon afterwards, Sussex kept the pressure on, removing the in-form Lewis McManus cheaply before a stubborn eighth wicket partnership of 50 in 14 overs between Justin Broad (45) and Ben Sanderson (24) kept Northamptonshire in the chase.

But McAndrew, playing the second of two Championship matches this summer, then returned to take the last three wickets to earn his side their fifth win of the summer.

Northamptonshire had started the day on 137 for four – still needing another 147 to pull off a first win of the season. But they soon lost South African T20 international Breetzke (12) when he pulled out of a pull shot against Robinson, only for the ball to climb and take the edge through to keeper John Simpson.

Robinson then got another pacy delivery to lift sharply with Keogh (12) only able to edge through to Jack Carson at fourth slip before Sean Hunt accounted for McManus (5), caught behind, to leave Northamptonshire in trouble at 155 for seven, having lost three wickets for 11 in seven overs.

Broad and Sanderson dug in to keep Northamptonshire’s hopes alive, running sharp ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but unafraid to put the bad balls away.

Sanderson showed his batting credentials with a glorious on drive past the bowler for four to get off the mark against Hunt before clipping Fynn Hudson-Prentice off his legs through midwicket for another boundary.

In neat symmetry, Broad, who drove Robinson straight down the ground for four to bring up Northamptonshire’s 150, reverse swept the left-arm spin of James Coles for another boundary to take the hosts past 200.

The decision to reintroduce McAndrew into the attack proved inspired when, in his first over, he removed Sanderson, who chipped straight to Dan Hughes at mid-on. Then, two balls later, the bowler accounted for Raphy Weatherall with an unplayable inswinging yorker.

Broad still showed belief though, taking the attack to McAndrew, ramping over the keeper for four, smashing over midwicket for six and carving the ball square for another boundary. The bowler ultimately had the last word though and when Broad attempted to swing him over fine leg, Coles took the catch in the deep.

Report Provided by ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Sussex Head Coach Paul Farbrace