Leicestershire vs Sussex: Day 1 Match Report

After being put in to bat first, Leicestershire closed on 326 for eight on day one of their Division Two match against Sussex in the Vitality County Championship.

Three Leicestershire batters made half-centuries, Rishi Patel hitting 12 fours and two sixes in a knock of 87. Australia’s Peter Handscomb contributed a steady 51 while all-rounder Liam Trevaskis is 82 not out on his Leicestershire debut.

Sussex had the home side 63 for three midway through the morning session on a green-tinged pitch but were not able to press home their advantage.

They used eight different bowlers, although not their England quick Ollie Robinson, who is being rested for this round. Fynn Hudson-Prentice (three for 50) was the pick of them.

On a pitch that did not appear to be offering a much to the bowlers as Sussex might have anticipated when they opted to bowl first, he wasted little time in making his presence felt, rattling off seven boundaries in the opening 10 overs against the new Kookaburra as he and Marcus Harris put on 59 in 61 deliveries before Sussex achieved their first breakthrough.

His own half-century, which he reached with six over long-on, came from 59 deliveries. In another burst of boundaries as he and Leicestershire’s other Australian, Peter Handscomb, added 78 for the fourth wicket.

Patel converted half of his fifties to hundreds last season and will doubtless feel he should have made this one count for more. He fell five overs after lunch when, having been frustrated by a sequence of tidy overs, he was tempted by a short ball from Danny Lamb and gloved a relatively easy leg-side catch to John Simpson behind the stumps.

Sussex’s three morning successes with the ball had come in a cluster. Ari Karvelas, in for Robinson, found just enough off the pitch to have Harris caught behind. Two overs later, Fynn Hudson-Prentice marked his entry into the attack by taking wickets with his second and third balls, bringing one back to uproot Louis Kimber’s off stump and then bowling Lewis Hill with a delivery that seemed to keep quite low.

Patel’s demise ushered in Trevaskis for his debut innings. The left-handed all-rounder moved to Grace Road over the winter in search of more red-ball game time after his opportunities with Durham dried up, so he has something of a point to prove.

In that context he made a good first impression, providing solid support for Handscomb in a stand that added 65 for the fifth wicket, and helping Ben Cox rebuild after the Australian was bowled by off-spinner Jack Carson, beaten in the flight attempting to slog-sweep. 

Trevaskis helped eke out a further 49 with Cox before the latter, driving lavishly, bottom-edged into his stumps, and 43 with Ben Mike, who was caught-and-bowled off a leading edge after the second new ball had been taken. Tom Scriven was well caught at midwicket as Hudson-Prentice picked up a third wicket inside the last four overs of the day.

Cox’s demise provided a wicket for Tom Clark, the opening bat, who had not previously bowled his medium pace since September 2022 because of injury.

With no Rehan Ahmed in this match - the leg-spinning all-rounder is understood to be undertaking a pilgrimage to Mecca - and fast bowler Chris Wright again missing for personal reasons, Leicestershire will hope left-arm spinner Trevaskis can also prove his value with the ball.

Report provided by the ECB Reporters' Network

Reaction from Fynn Hudson-Prentice

Sussex Cricket Foundation raises £30k at 

‘Where Cricket Meets...Michael Vaughan & Phil Tufnell’

The Sussex Cricket Foundation is delighted to announce that its annual fundraiser, ‘Where Cricket Meets…’ raised £30,000 which will be used to help the Foundation to continue to grow the game of cricket across Sussex.

The special event saw former Ashes-winning England captain, Michael Vaughan joined on stage by teammate and England cricketing legend, Phil Tufnell, for an afternoon of hilarious stories and anecdotes, which was attended by nearly 400 people at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole. 

Sponsored by Community Partner, Webtrends Optimize, the conversation was hosted by Roger Dalkin, whilst the live auction was hosted by Sussex cricketing legend, Neil Lenham.

Speaking on the event, Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Cricket Director, said: “We are thrilled to have raised significant money, to support our mission of actively changing lives through the power of cricket. 

“The vital funds raised will help enable my team to continue making cricket accessible to all across the County. 

“I would like to say a special thank you to Michael & Phil for entertaining us all afternoon, to our sponsors Webtrends Optimize for their continued support and to everyone who came out in force to support the Foundation, your support is truly appreciated.”

A number of prizes were generously donated by a number of local organisations, to which the Foundation would like to extend its thanks: Sir Rod Aldridge, Sodexo Live!, Surrey Cricket Foundation, Brighton Racecourse and Webtrends Optimize. 

Webtrends Optimize, Chief Executive, Matt Smith, added: ““As I’ve said before, we love being in a position to support the Sussex Cricket Foundation with all the fantastic work they do. 

“Events such as this, where such a huge amount was raised to help with that goal, genuinely makes me feel proud that we’re involved - all credit to the fantastic efforts of the SCF team for putting on such a great event!”

To read more about the crucial work the Sussex Cricket Foundation does across the County, read their 2023 Impact Report. 

Unfortunately the Second Eleven Championship fixture between Sussex and Middlesex, which was due to be played on Monday 15th April at Horsham, has been abandoned due to a waterlogged outfield. 

The recent heavy rain has left the grounds team at Horsham with no time to be able to prepare the pitch for the fixture. 

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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As well as tickets to every home County Championship game, you'll also get your seat at every home Metro One Day Cup fixture.

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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,.