[Cricket] Sussex v Hampshire Bob Willis Trophy

[Gwylan]

Our batting last year was appalling, it's staggering that the club has done little to recruit any more batting talent. Admittedly, the club was unfortunate that Covid struck and prevented overseas players from coming back but it could have looked for another batter from England.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I can't get the stream to work.

Who are these players. Never heard of any of them.

 

[Gwylan]

I can't get the stream to work.

Who are these players. Never heard of any of them.

Two are making their first class debuts: Carson and Crocombe
Clark played last season, this is his second F/C
Claydon is an old lag (37 I believe) but is making his Sussex debut

all the others have played quite a few games for Sussex

 

[studio150]

141-8

Sussex batting as strong as usual and looking likely to get zero batting points. At lease we have a stellar bowling line up to get us back into the game.

 

[jakarta]

Two are making their first class debuts: Carson and Crocombe
Clark played last season, this is his second F/C
Claydon is an old lag (37 I believe) but is making his Sussex debut

all the others have played quite a few games for Sussex

Claydon is a proper old fashioned (Colin Milburn/Eddie Hemmings) cricketer. You wouldn't be calling him through for a single!

 

[Albion Robster]

Our batting last year was appalling, it's staggering that the club has done little to recruit any more batting talent. Admittedly, the club was unfortunate that Covid struck and prevented overseas players from coming back but it could have looked for another batter from England.

What’s happened to Ravi Bopara? I thought he was signed for all formats?

 

[amexer]

i appreciate no spectators but as a cricket lover, cricket should be ashamed at how the standard has gone down so much. People at top keep saying no interest in championship cricket. Its not the game but the standard. Hardly anybody playing that would tempt you to part with your money. Apart from Brown and Robinson at moment no more then good club players. Todays eleven must be one of weakest ever and could have said that several times last year.
Interesting to see what our championship teams were 10, 15 and 20 years ago. To think I used to drop everything to watch Prior,Yardy,Kirtly,Goodwin, Mustaq, Martin=Jenkins etc Before that took time from office to see Richards,Warne,Holding,Greig, Imran etc. ECB are just letting it die for sake of 20/20

 

[jakarta]

Listening to the England /Ireland ODI, can we not offer this Campher bloke a contract?

 

[Surf's Up]

Listening to the England /Ireland ODI, can we not offer this Campher bloke a contract?

Don't see why not, he's yet another Saffer after all.

 

[Gwylan]

What’s happened to Ravi Bopara? I thought he was signed for all formats?

So did I but apparently that's not the case

 

[jakarta]

Hants as good at batting as us I see...

 

[keaton]

I've just noticed a friend of mines son is playing!

This looks a very weak line up, I assume we have been fairly frugal in getting players in as all that will get played are a few glorified beer matches?

No overseas or Kolpaks that went home (though Surrey are asking for them to be allowed just for them)

 

[Gwylan]

No overseas or Kolpaks that went home (though Surrey are asking for them to be allowed just for them)

But, as has been pointed out, Bopara is around. Luke Wright was still keen to play red ball cricket but Dizzy said no and I've no idea what happened to Luke Wells.

I'm all for playing kids if they're decent but I'm not convinced about many of this lot.

But what does concern me is that we're a batsman short, kids or no, there'd have been no harm in playing Wells instead of Crocombe, for example.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Just catching up with this WhingeFest. [emoji23]

Just because Albion “supporters” spend most of their time on NSC moaning it doesn’t mean the cricket threads populated by Sussex “supporters” can’t be a bit more positive (albeit with the hilarity of sometimes pretending we are being shit when we are not being shit...).

This season is obviously a very different one and it is equally obvious that SCCC are working on a massively reduced budget.

Nine Sussex Academy products in this XI. Currently still in the game with Hants after 14 wickets fell on first day. 50s for Phil Salt and George Garton (both players with ECB recognition) that I would have greatly enjoyed watching if allowed to be at the ground.

 

[keaton]

But, as has been pointed out, Bopara is around. Luke Wright was still keen to play red ball cricket but Dizzy said no and I've no idea what happened to Luke Wells.

I'm all for playing kids if they're decent but I'm not convinced about many of this lot.

But what does concern me is that we're a batsman short, kids or no, there'd have been no harm in playing Wells instead of Crocombe, for example.

Didn't think Wright wanted to play red ball? I had completely forgotten about Bopara though

 

[keaton]

We don't seem particularly well organised anymore maybe the club forgot about Ravi too? And Wright and Wells are right at the bottom of the alphabet, we don't know how team selection works

 

[Gwylan]

Didn't think Wright wanted to play red ball?

That's not what he said in an interview last season, he said that he'd spent the winter working specifically on red ball cricket. Of course, a year on, it may well be the case that he now just wants to play one-day stuff.

And Moshe, I appreciate that Sussex are under a financial strain and I'm pleased to see them give youngsters a go but this side is a batsman light - that's nothing to do with finances, there are batsmen on Sussex's books who could have played.. And I'll never be convinced that Finch is a first class cricketer.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

We don't seem particularly well organised anymore maybe the club forgot about Ravi too? And Wright and Wells are right at the bottom of the alphabet, we don't know how team selection works

I think you’re onto something...

Jason Gillespie is suffering with jet lag and has forgotten about several players in his squad.

 

[Luke93]

Jesus wept. Players have just returned from and during a worldwide pandemic. Sussex during that time didn’t go out and sign the best available English talent, but did bring in Ravi Bobara just before. An excellent piece of business. This game verses Hampshire is far from over too.

Senior players are indeed missing. Obviously the South Africans can’t be here, but some info on Wells and Bobara missing would’ve been nice (he tweeted some shots of him in the nets 3rd July). But what’s left is a very exciting young group of players. Many counties are in the same boat right now. International cricket is being played and has drawn 2 English squads out the county game + the obvious omissions of overseas players. How dare the counties do this during a pandemic!

You’d think there’d be excitement for Salt and Garton instead of looking at the negatives. Or how Sussex have got 4 wickets back before close. I’d also argue this set of games is the ideal time to blood young talent. I’m not saying they should throw games. As that will do a disservice to the county game and great man this cup is named after, but those players are good enough to be competitive.

 

[Shins]

I'd say the squad is shaping up well given the noticeable absentees.

Salt
Wells
SVZ
Haines
Bopara
Evans
Brown
Wiese
Jordan
Robinson
Briggs

Not a bad XI is it? Doesn't include the likes of Garton, Rawlings and some other half decent, young squad players.

Best not to pay too much attention to how the team does for the rest of the season. It's just some really useful game time for our youngsters, that hopefully they can use to push for a place in the best XI next season.