[Cricket] Summer's here ... cricket is back

[Gwylan]

Sussex play their first pre-season friendly tomorrow (against Slurry at The Oval)

No Ollie or Salt (that will fuel some rumours), obviously Jofra and CJ are with England and Claydon's banned but Stiaan's back. I think Head is arriving at the end of April.

There are quite a few youngsters in the squad: Carson, Crocombe and Clark played last year but there some more new names, including Neil Lenham's lad, Scott (there's a younger brother too who's also meant to be useful)

There's always a spring in my step when cricket starts. Our club's nets start on 10 April so I've just got my gear from the loft.

Oh, and wheel loose

 

[Eeyore]

Sussex are in a long term transitional stage. I hope folk can show patience.

 

[Gwylan]

Sussex are in a long term transitional stage. I hope folk can show patience.

There definitely seems to be a plan to bring on the youngsters - they didn't replace Nash, Wright (as a red ball player) or Wells by getting a cast-off from another county. Haines shows flashes of promise and Clark has already got a f/c fifty (albeit on that road at Canterbury). Carson looks the real deal though - an average of 22 for a young spinner is very good indeed.

I'd love to see Rawlins and Garton push on this year - I'm strangely optimistic

 

[Eeyore]

There definitely seems to be a plan to bring on the youngsters - they didn't replace Nash, Wright (as a red ball player) or Wells by getting a cast-off from another county. Haines shows flashes of promise and Clark has already got a f/c fifty (albeit on that road at Canterbury). Carson looks the real deal though - an average of 22 for a young spinner is very good indeed.

I'd love to see Rawlins and Garton push on this year - I'm strangely optimistic

How does that affect Sussex if he gets called up for Ireland ?

 

[Gwylan]

How does that affect Sussex if he gets called up for Ireland ?

I think it's unlikely he would - he's still very young and he hasn't played any one day matches yet - Ireland have no test matches planned this summer.

In a few years time, yes, it's quite possible

 

[Eeyore]

I think it's unlikely he would - he's still very young and he hasn't played any one day matches yet - Ireland have no test matches planned this summer.

In a few years time, yes, it's quite possible

Is an ODI not regarded as a full international call up though ?

 

[Gwylan]

Is an ODI not regarded as a full international call up though ?

Yes but the point is that no international one day team is going to pick someone with no experience in one day cricket

 

[amexer]

I am a cricket nut that used to call into ground at every opportunity, County no longer have interest in 4 day cricket and only interested in 20/20. Compared to just few years that squad not much better than good club standard. Have given up membership and cant see myself sitting in cold watching that lot. Have got rid of so many senior players and hope it works for them

 

[Gwylan]

I am a cricket nut that used to call into ground at every opportunity, County no longer have interest in 4 day cricket and only interested in 20/20. Compared to just few years that squad not much better than good club standard. Have given up membership and cant see myself sitting in cold watching that lot. Have got rid of so many senior players and hope it works for them

I remember the 70s when Sussex regularly finished in the bottom two. There was one match, when Snow and Greig were on England duty and Spud was injured, where our attack was Denman, Marshall and Phillipson. I still went regularly then and I expect to be there for a few days this season.

I agree about the 20/20 though. I don't go to that nonsense and it's a shame there's so little value in being a member these days

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Got a good feeling about Haines

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Moshe Gariani]

I remember the 70s when Sussex regularly finished in the bottom two. There was one match, when Snow and Greig were on England duty and Spud was injured, where our attack was Denman, Marshall and Phillipson. I still went regularly then and I expect to be there for a few days this season.

That's the spirit, Gwylan..!! That Denman, Phillipson, Marshall "attack" might have been supported by the penetrating offbreaks of JRT Barclay...

Very obvious that Sussex are doing something different with a huge focus on the development of their young homegrown players. I don't have a membership yet - still busy with other things including club cricket - but I would be perfectly happy to sit in a deckchair and watch them.

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

I live about 5 mins walk from the Oval. Do you reckon if I ask nicely they'll let me in to watch? Be very social distanced!

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Are Slurry managing to provide us with a livestream today from The Hovel...?

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

Are Slurry managing to provide us with a livestream today from The Hovel...?

Dont think so

 

[amexer]

I remember the 70s when Sussex regularly finished in the bottom two. There was one match, when Snow and Greig were on England duty and Spud was injured, where our attack was Denman, Marshall and Phillipson. I still went regularly then and I expect to be there for a few days this season.

I agree about the 20/20 though. I don't go to that nonsense and it's a shame there's so little value in being a member these days

You did well to dig those out which was a rarity, What about Snow, Buss, Grieg, Mustaq, Robinson,Kirtley, Lewry etc

 

[amexer]

That's the spirit, Gwylan..!! That Denman, Phillipson, Marshall "attack" might have been supported by the penetrating offbreaks of JRT Barclay...

Very obvious that Sussex are doing something different with a huge focus on the development of their young homegrown players. I don't have a membership yet - still busy with other things including club cricket - but I would be perfectly happy to sit in a deckchair and watch them.

Agree Barclay very ordinary bowler but never forgiven him for getting my hero Viv Richards out in a final at Lords.

 

[Gwylan]

You did well to dig those out which was a rarity, What about Snow, Buss, Grieg, Mustaq, Robinson,Kirtley, Lewry etc

But that's my point! Even when we had Snow, Buss and Greig, Sussex were poor. Just had a look at our CC performance when all three were playing; over 10 seasons we finished in the top half of the table just once (and most of the time in the bottom three). But despite this, I still went regularly.

We also replaced a lot of our old guard during this time: Lenham, Suttle, Cooper, Oakman, Parks all retired or were moved on and we introduced some new blood: Faber, Parker, Mendis, Barclay (Groome and the Hoadleys too, but they didn't work out) in this time. It heralded the start of a successful spell for Sussex.

We may not blossom like we did last time but we haven't got the money to poach decent players from other clubs so Sussex are doing the right thing in developing the youth. I'm looking forward to seeing the crop of youngsters

 

[Eeyore]

I remember the 70s when Sussex regularly finished in the bottom two. There was one match, when Snow and Greig were on England duty and Spud was injured, where our attack was Denman, Marshall and Phillipson. I still went regularly then and I expect to be there for a few days this season.

I agree about the 20/20 though. I don't go to that nonsense and it's a shame there's so little value in being a member these days

That's the spirit, Gwylan..!! That Denman, Phillipson, Marshall "attack" might have been supported by the penetrating offbreaks of JRT Barclay...

Very obvious that Sussex are doing something different with a huge focus on the development of their young homegrown players. I don't have a membership yet - still busy with other things including club cricket - but I would be perfectly happy to sit in a deckchair and watch them.

I think the convenient sponge of amnesia may have wiped the late 80s from your minds. Bottom in 1987 with one win. Reached the heights of second last in 1988.

 

[Scappa]

[tweet]1376470533450182659[/tweet]

 

[Gwylan]

I think the convenient sponge of amnesia may have wiped the late 80s from your minds. Bottom in 1987 with one win. Reached the heights of second last in 1988.

I haven't forgotten anything: I was a member from 1970 till 2006 (when I became a father and cut down on cricket) so every season is seared into my memory.

All you doing is reinforcing my point: the fact that Sussex have terrible seasons doesn't stop people going. They were shocking in most of the 70s but that led to the cracking team of the early 80s; they were shocking in the late 80s/most of the 90s but that led to the Night of the Long Knives and the triumphant team of the Noughties.

On the face of it, we didn't do well last season BUT we had a first innings lead in all but one of our games and blew it at the death. That suggests that the main problem was mental rather than technical - expected with a young team - but we may well do better this year.