Season’s End

The end of the cricket season sees the sad departure of players from Sussex County Cricket Club. Some retire, others are out of contract, and a few seek pastures new.

Matt Prior and Jason Lewry

This season sees the retirement, after 16 years, of one of Sussex’s greatest servants, Jason Lewry. A bowler of extraordinary talent, he should have had international recognition. His 7 wickets in 14 balls against Hampshire at Hove in 2001 was, at the time, the second best spell in first class cricket history. He ended his career with 735 wickets (621 in first class cricket, 100 in limited overs matches, and 14 in Twenty20 matches). He achieved the notable double of having taken the first wicket and hitting the first six in Twenty20 history, a form of cricket that never particularly appealed to him.

Also retiring is Carl Hopkinson, at 27 eleven years Lewry’s junior. I have always regarded him as the unluckiest players I have ever watched. I cannot recall how many times he was dismissed in freak or unfair circumstances – a ball not lifting off the pitch, or a fluke run out. This last season he demonstrated what a fine batsman he is with two centuries. Where he really excelled, however, was in the field. In a team blessed with outstanding fielding talent from the likes of Rory Hamilton-Brown, Luke Wright and the extraordinary Dwayne Smith, Hopkinson set the gold standard. He will continue to do so as he stays at the Club as its specialist fielding coach.

Sussex would have liked to retain the services of 20 year old spinner Piyush Chawla, but the restriction of just one overseas player sees him moving to rivals, Surrey, with Yasir Arafat remaining at Hove. Sussex has an abundance of high quality slow bowlers but needs Arafat as its main strike bowler, not least following Lewry’s retirement.

Sussex is also saying goodbye to spinner Tom Smith who has been effectively sidelined by the emergence of Rory Hamilton-Brown and Will Beer. Sussex is retaining a squad of players capable of challenging for honours in all competitions next season. However, the lack of young fast bowlers is a worry for the Club. There appears to be no new Jason Lewry or James Kirtley in the wings. Luke Wright has potential, but there is a risk that international call-ups will restrict his development with both bat and ball. Ideally, he should have a further season at Hove so he can learn to score big hundreds and many of them, as well as honing his bowling skills beyond raw pace.

A final word on Jason Lewry. He has been one of the key components in Sussex’s success over the last decade. Part of his legacy should be to inspire young players, cast in his mould, characterised by hard work and a love of the game.

(This article first appeared in Latest 7 on 3rd November 2009)

Almost a Perfect Season for Sussex Cricket

This has almost been the perfect season for Sussex County Cricket Club.  Just about everything went according to plan (other than the Lord’s Final where Sussex failed to compete against Hampshire, and the entire County Championship season!).

In one-day cricket, Sussex are the number one side in the country and, in the next couple of weeks, they are up against the best in the world in the Champions League in India where they can show that they are, possibly, the best in the world.

The Sussex Sharks won its first ever Twenty20 Cup and retained the Pro-40 Division One title (in spite of losing the last match of the season).  What is particularly pleasing, this was achieved with a comparatively young side and prospects for future years is very encouraging.

Sussex lost Matt Prior to England for much of the season and, given his excellent form with the bat, it is likely that we will not see much of him in 2010. In Andrew Hodd we have a most capable substitute, a first rate keeper although not as explosive with the bat as Prior.

The emergence of Rory Hamilton-Brown and Will Beer bodes well for Sussex in the spin bowling department, although the absence of a really menacing fast bowler remains a cause for concern. While Luke Wright has gained an extra yard of pace, he will be miss more Sussex matches as regular England call ups are likely to follow next year.

Hamilton-Brown is not only a talented slow bowler.  His batting will soon attract the attention of the England selectors, at least as a limited overs batsman. When he learns to pace an innings, and not lose his wicket with rash shots, he has the potential to rewrite every record in the book!

Chris Nash has matured into a batsman of real stature, a probable successor to the superlative Murray Goodwin who will be with Sussex for just one more year. Dwayne Smith has been carefully nurtured by the club over the last 18 months and he is clearly a match winner with both bat and ball. 

But how on earth has a team that is so full of talent, and one that almost beat the mighty Australians, completely failed in the County Championship. Sussex were truly appalling and cannot complain about being relegated to the second division after eight years in the first division during which time they won three Championships.

Other than the County Championship, it has been a truly memorable and enjoyable year to follow Sussex. I for one can’t wait to return to Hove in early April to see Sussex’s campaign to regain its rightful place in the first division.

(This article first appeared in Latest 7 magazine issue 444, October 6th 2009)

Probably the best one-day cricket side in England

What a season it is has been for Sussex CCC in one-day cricket. The County dominated the Twenty20 qualifying rounds, overwhelmed Warwickshire in the quarter-final, left Northamptonshire dead and buried in the semi-final before putting the Somerset Sabres to the sword to win its first ever Twenty20 title.

It was the same in the Friends Provident Trophy where Sussex dominated the tournament right through to the Lords final. However, in a rare setback, Sussex failed to raise its game and the Sharks were defeated by local rivals, Hampshire. And now we are in the final stages of the Pro40 Competition, well ahead of the field and well-placed to win the first division title. West Indian, Dwayne Smith, has been the outstanding player with bat, ball and in the field.

Just Somerset have any realistic chance of overtaking Sussex, having beaten us in Taunton, taking revenge on a ‘celebration-impaired Sussex team two days after the Twenty20 Final! Sussex are, of course, the reigning champions of the Pro40 tournament, having won the competition off the last ball of the last match in 2008. Super-hero Murray Goodwin hit that fateful ball for a towering 6 to clinch the title from Nottinghamshire, our opponents that day.

So how will it end of this season? Sussex have just two matches left to play. We face Notts yet again, this time at Hove, in a floodlit match on Monday September 7th . Weather permitting and a full house at Hove under the lights, this will be one of those great occasions at the County Ground. If we haven’t won it on the 7th, the long journey to New Road, Worcester, on Sunday, September 27th might be a journey worth making.

That may be the last game of the domestic season, but there is yet more for Sussex. Having won the Twenty20 title, the Sharks qualify for the Champions League in India in October. That might just be the opportunity to prove that Sussex are not just the best one-day side in the country, but probably the best one-day side in the ……

Andy Winter 31st August 2009

4th Ashes Test Day 2: England Horror Show

Stuart Broad summed it up well, it was an England Horror Show. His 6 wickets for 91 runs was great, but to finish the day at 82 for 5, having been bowled out for 102 in the first day is unbelievable. Yesterday I said that days like this happen, but for two days running?

It could have been worse had Marcus North held on to an edge from Matt Prior off the last ball of the day.

Marcus North (110) and Michael Clarke (once again out in the nineties) showed that it was a pitch where high scores were possible.

Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson were on fire as the Australians, for the second time in two days, destroyed the England top order, but Player of the day was Marcus North for his century.

If you have tickets for Day 4, frame them. You won’t need them unless Prior and Broad put in performances that will go down in legend.

4th Ashes Test, Day 1: Disgusted of Brighton

It happens, days like today.  England bowled out for 102, with just 2 players, Alistair Cook (30) and Matt Prior (37 not out), reaching double figures. The critics will gather, but a day of disasters does not turn a good team bad. The test for the England team will be how it responds over the next few days.

Australia will have taken encouragement from the excellent Matt Prior who showed both what a superior batsman he has become and also that it was possible to play proper cricket shots on this pitch.

Indeed, it was this example that encouraged Shane Watson (51) and Ricky Ponting (78) to reinforce Australia’s dominance on Day 1.

The Australian bowling was first rate, pitching the ball up and bowling straight.  Peter Siddle’s spell after lunch was the pick of the bowling, and he deserved his 5 wicket haul. Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clarke were also excellent.  But Player of the Day is, once again, Ricky Ponting for his magnificent 78.

Why am I ‘Disgusted of Brighton’?  It has nothing to do with the England performance.  As I say, days like this happen.  No, I am disgusted by the booing of Ricky Ponting.  He is the captain of Australia, and that deserves rspect.  He is the leading Test run scorer for the most successful country in Test history, for which he should be honoured.

Those who booed him represent the worst aspects of the English, beery louts who rubbish quality, a denigrade greatness. It is at times like this that I am truly grateful that I am not English. The boo boys disgrace their country and the game of cricket.

Getting Ready for the Friends Provident Trophy Final

C&G Winners 2006

The Friends Provident Final is on Saturday, Sussex against Hampshire, recently led by one Shane Warne. 

Sussex supporter John Parsons has been busy penning songs for the Final, including this one, to be sung to the tune of Lord of the Dance:

Shane Warne, wherever you may be
The king of spin’s Magic Mushy,
He won three titles and the C&G
While you led Hampshire to obscurity

Lets hope the Sharks smash the Hawks as we did on Sunday in the Pro40 at Arundel, by a comfortable 4 runs.

2nd Ashes Test, Day 5

How appropriate, on the last day of his last appearance in a Lords Test, and against Australia, Andrew Flintoff made the Honours Board for his 5 for 92, and helps England end 75 year without a win against Australia at the Home of Cricket. 

He becomes just the sixth player to make it onto both Honours Boards following his 100 against South Africa.

Player of the Day and Player of the Match, Andrew Flintoff.  Well done Fred and well done England.  ’nuff said.

2nd Ashes Test, Day 4: the Australians can’t win ……. can they?

Michael Clarke (Photo by Clare Calder)

This morning it seemed merely a matter of time. One or two of the wickets that fell before lunch were questionable. Did Andrew Strauss really keep the ball from touching the ground to dismiss Hughes? Replay suggests not, although no one, quite rightly, is questioning Strauss’s honesty. The Hussey decision was unfortunate as he clearly did not get a touch.

Once North went at 128 for 5 in the 39th over it looked as though Australia would not last the day. Yet 41 overs later, with the players going off for bad light, Australia had reached 313 for 5, with Player of the Day, Michael Clarke, unbeaten on 125 and Brad Haddin on 80.

Weather permitting, England should take the final five wickets before tea tomorrow. My nerves will not cope with an evening session with three results possible!

2nd Ashes Test, Day 3 belongs to Matt Prior

Well done, England. You stuck to the task and maintained pressure on the Australians throughout the day. Graham Onions polished off the Australian tail enders, Hauritz and Siddle, before a quickfire partnership of 61 between Cook and Strauss set the tone for the day. England seem to meander a bit during the afternoon with Bopara and Pietersen, but free scoring from Collingwood and, most impressively, Prior to saw England end of the day with a 521 run lead and two days to play.

Matt Prior

Prior was at his best, a familiar sight for us Sussex supporters, but particularly wonderful to see him batting with such confidence for England and, in particular, against the Australians. He was heading most certainly to his maiden Ashes ton before a direct hit from North in the outfield saw him cruelly run out.

The momentum, style and runs provided by Prior gains him the nomination for Player of the Day.

England should declare overnight to give them the most time possible to bowl out the Australians for a second time. If the Australians were to get the 522 runs required, they would have smashed the current world record for a successful fourth innings chase by over 100 runs and would deserve every plaudit they would receive. In truth, there are only two results possible: an England victory or the rain coming to the rescue of Australia.

2nd Ashes Test: Day 2 and England are on top!

A solid first innings score followed by a collapse of the top and middle order in the reply.  A typical Ashes story except it is England who posted 425 and the Aussies struggling to avoid the follow-on at 156 for 8 at the end of Day 2.

Simon Katick (Photo by Clare Calder)

Player of the Day goes to James Anderson who took 4 for 36 off his 17 overs, a world class performance.  He resembled and Australian strike bowler and also score 29 valuable runs.

Stuart Broad was, in the context of the innings, expensive taking his 2 wickets for 47 runs off 11 overs, but his stunning catch in the deep to dismiss Simon Katich on 48 was a turning point when Australia were poised to recover from the loss of two early wickets.

Stick to the task and England could force the follow-on before lunch on Day 3.