T20 Guide to the Game Essex by Sussex Cricket

ORDER OF PLAY

Hospitality Gates Open 12:30pm

Main Gates Open 1:00pm

Live Music in the Shark Zone 1:00pm

Toss 2:00pm

First Ball 2:30pm

Innings Interval 3:45pm approx.

Catch the Cash with 1st Central 3:50pm

End of Play

5:15pm approx.

Zone INTRODUCING THE

A dedicated space for Sharks fans to turn up early and enjoy the build-up to Blast games!

LOCAL LIVE MUSIC

Warm up for the game with live music and entertainment

KIDS ACTIVITIES

FOOD AND OFFERS

Beers, wine and cocktails for under a fiver from 1pm - 2pm!

Plus, plent of activities for kids while you soak up the atmosphere!

AND SO MUCH MORE!

SPECTATOR INFORMATION

CLUB SHOP AND NEW FOR 2024 THE SHARK POP-UP SHOP

As usual our Club Shop will be open from 5:30pm until the start of the 2nd innings. And new for 2024 is the Shark Pop-Up Shop, open during the same time, but located at the North end of the ground, next to Dexter's Terrace.

FREEBIES

Make sure you keep an eye out for all of the freebies we’ll have available to you. These include hairy headbands, Vitality Blast glasses and your 4 & 6 cards to help you celebrate every boundary. These giveaways can be collected in the Shark Zone.

FOOD AND DRINK

We know Sharks get hungry! Around the ground you will find a number of amazing food units, as well as numerous places to get yourself hot and cold drinks.

Check out the map on Page 3 to see where the food units are located.

FAMILY FUN

Kids can show their support for the Sharks by having their faces painted in Sussex colours, you’ll find the face-painting station located at the Cromwell Road End of the ground, located by the family and general stand.

Children aged 5-14 can also join our Foundation coaches in the FamZone for a range of cricket-based activities.

The FamZone will be in action from when gates open to the start of the 2nd innings.

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.

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

LOW ALCOHOL STAND

There is a low alcohol stand located in the north of the ground next to the family stand, which also includes a small section of seating where no alcohol is allowed. All tickets are allocated, and these areas need/should have been requested at the time of booking. Please contact a steward if you need assistance.

JOHN SIMPSON

TO HOLD THEIR TOP 4 SPOT SWIMMING WITH THE CURRENT

With a place in the quarter-finals on the brink of reality, John Simpson breaks down the indivudal talent that makes up the top-tier team, effective strategy amends throughout the sesason & maintaining momentum.

First of all, your thoughts on the Sharks’ Blast campaign so far?

We have started the campaign brilliantly so far. It’s been really exciting to watch the lads go out and play so freely with bat, but play smart cricket when the situation requires and, then with the ball be really clear with our plans, execute them and most impressively adapt to conditions either home or away. To be sat here with 7 wins from 10 games is testament to the hard work the lads have put in over the winter and continually looking to improve in all facets of the game. We probably haven’t played the perfect game as of yet, which is always a good sign winning games and looking at things we can improve. It’s going to be great to watch when do.

Much was made about the inexperience among our squad, particularly in T20 cricket, how impressed have you been with the younger players who have stepped up in this campaign?

I have been very impressed with how the younger lads have stepped up in this campaign. When I signed for the club, one of the most striking things was how much young talent the club has at its disposal in all formats of the game. When you look at the likes of Harrison Ward, who has started the campaign really well and striking up a formidable opening pairing with Hughesy. James Coles continues to get better every game with bat and ball. Tom Clark has come

back and played a really important couple of innings post injury and then Archie/Jack have both come in and done brilliant jobs especially as young spinners in the short format. You blend that with the standard of Ollie Robinson, who has been brilliant in this campaign, Tymal, Nathan and Daniel Hughes, you start to have the makings of a high quality side that is only on the start of a journey.

What’s it been like playing under Tymal as skipper? What qualities has he brought to the role?

Tymal has done a great job. I think the way he has lead the team as a captain and from the front with the ball has been fantastic. Naturally when you don’t have any captaincy experience, there is always a bedding in period and finding your own style which he has definitely done now. He’s played a huge amount of T20 cricket so that experience is invaluable to us as a team.

We all know what he brings with the ball, pace, skill and aggression. He’s been really clear and calm with his decision making. He is very diligent on the opposition and making sure he knows what the match ups are, potential field placings and angles, which I help him with but I think the biggest accolade is his enthusiasm for the role and trying to drive us forward. He’s continually asking us as a team and individually to be brave and we are seeing that every game in our performance.

John Simpson

Asanyteamwantsto,wewant to make Hove a fortress where opposition teams don’t want to come and play.

The batting order has been tinkered with slightly in certain games, we’ve seen you batting in different places, Tom Alsop was also moved down the order and it’s been a really positive decision - how important is it to have that versatility among the batters?

We’ve seen a lot of movement in the order but the opening pairing staying consistent. It’s really important to have that flexibility and fluidity in the batting line up especially in the T20 Blast. It gives us so many options with left hand and right hand batters, we can look at the opposition, who would be the best match up for certain bowlers, and also with differing dimensions at each ground, it allows us to always have one batter hitting to the short side. Sometimes we can over complicate this but that’s where the clarity of our roles and what the situation requires plays a big part in the flexibility. Most importantly, it’s about each individual being accountable and winning the game when they are at the crease.

3 wins at Hove so far this year in the Blast, Paul spoke about the team trying to find new ways of winning at home and it’s definitely paid off - how important is it to you as a senior player to give the fans big victories at home?

It’s massively important to win games at home. Winning is a habit, it’s something to enjoy and savour when we do. As any team wants too, we want to make Hove a fortress where opposition teams don’t want to come and play. It certainly makes the away games easier if we do. The fans have been absolutely fantastic this season, not only in the blast but also in championship cricket. It would be amazing going into September with 3 trophies to win, as I know from my short time with the club how loyal and passionate they are about this team. I hope they are as excited as we are as a group for what could be a really special year.

Just a few games left now, knowing yourself and Paul you won’t be getting ahead of yourselves but what is the objective or target for the team in this competition?

We have 3 really exciting games coming up, 1 of them at home, but for me it’s an opportunity to really cement our position in the top 4. Hopefully to cap it off a home quarter final game which would be amazing as the support we have had this year has been superb. The objective before the season was to get into the quarter finals and then in a one off game we know we have the quality to beat anyone on our day. If we continue to do the simple things well, strive to keep pushing the boundaries then there is no doubt this team can dare to dream in September in all 3 competitions.

SUSSEX SHARKS VS HAMPSHIRE

Sussex Sharks made it seven wins out of ten in the Vitality Blast when they beat Hampshire by 22 runs at The 1st Central County Ground. Hampshire have won just twice and will surely have to win all their remaining matches to make the quarter-finals.

Hampshire, chasing a target of 201, could not have got off to a worse start, losing two wickets in the first two overs. In the first, overseas batsman Ben McDermott was run out after hitting Ollie Robinson to extracover and calling for a single. And in the next over Tom Prest lobbed James Coles to Tom Clark at mid-on.

But Vince and Joe Weatherley then breathed life into the Hampshire innings with a partnership worth 59 in just six overs. Vince hit Danny Lamb for a spectacular six over midwicket and out of the ground. And Weatherley, dropped on 21 by Lamb, hit four fours and a six in a 23-ball 34 before he skied Jack Carson to Alsop at deep mid-off.

When Vince was bowled by Lamb for 32 Hampshire were up against it. But a spirited partnership of 50 in five overs between Toby Albert (27) and Benny Howell (32) kept them on course.

But while Hampshire were keeping up with the run-rate they continued to lose wickets. Albert, swiping to leg, was bowled by Coles, James Fuller prodded Coles to Lamb at midwicket and Howell was run out after Liam Dawson, who had just dug out a yorker by Robinson, did not leave his crease after his partner had called for a quick single.

In the end Hampshire, bowled out for 178 in 19.1 overs, finished well short. The highlight of the Sussex innings was a partnership of 83 in nine overs between Clark and Coles. But on a good wicket the batting line-up maintained a heavy scoring rate throughout.

Hampshire made a good start when they dismissed Daniel Hughes, caught behind, for a duck with the first ball of the third over - Hughes had scored 354 runs in the competition, striking at over 170 per 100

But his equally aggressive opening partner Harrison Ward propelled the Sharks to a score of 57 from the six-over powerplay with a thumping 39 from 20 deliveries, with six fours and two sixes, with John Turner going for 20 off one over. But then Ward lobbed Fuller straight to Vince at mid-off.

Clark and Coles – the only right hander in the top six – then came together. Coles hit five fours and a six over-midwicket in his 33-ball 46 and Clark scored five fours in his 37, made off 26 balls.

And when they went the scoring rate was maintained, with former Hampshire batsman Tom Alsop cracking 35 from only 17 deliveries, with six fours, and the ramp-happy Lamb making 22 off 13. Chris Wood and Fuller were the most impressive Hampshire bowlers on a difficult night. balls.

NEW PARTNERSHIP

NEWS WITH ST KITTS AND NEVIS SUSSEX CRICKET ANNOUNCES

MINISTRY OF SPORTS

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce a groundbreaking partnership with St Kitts & Nevis Ministry of Sports for at least the 2024 season and will see the island become an Official Premium Partner to the Club.

The partnership between St. Kitts and Nevis and Sussex Cricket includes several exciting initiatives: sponsorbranded pitch mats on the outfield at the North and South ends of the ground, LED banner advertising on the scoreboard at all home group fixtures, big screen advertisements, and an advertisement on Livestream.

The partnership also aims to attract cricket teams to St. Kitts and Nevis during the off-season, enhancing sports tourism and providing local players with opportunities to compete against and be scouted by international teams, and further growing the game of cricket.

Sussex fans will also get to the opportunity to transport themselves to St Kitts and Nevis this season, sampling the island’s food, drink and culture, when the Ministry sponsors one of the Club’s Metro Bank One Day fixtures in August.

Sussex Cricket CEO, Pete Fitzboydon, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Government of St Kitts and Nevis to help showcase the islands to a global audience.

“As the oldest professional sports Club in the world and one of the UK’s top cricket teams, Sussex Cricket enjoys exceptional reach all around the world, which will help St Kitts and Nevis further enhance their impressive reputation as a premier cricket training and tourism destination.

“We were struck by the level of ambition of St Kitts and Nevis, which aligns with our own world-class aspirations, and so made this a natural partnership for both organisations. We look forward to starting this journey immediately.”

Statement from the Minister of Sports and Creative Economy et al, Hon. Samal Duggins: “We are delighted to embark on this exciting partnership with Sussex Cricket.

“This collaboration not only elevates our presence in the international sports arena but also promotes cultural exchange and tourism between St. Kitts and Nevis and the UK.

“We are using this opportunity to display the essence of our beautiful islands, and we look forward to showcasing our unique culture and hospitality to the cricket fans of Sussex.

“This partnership will bring significant benefits to both parties, and we are committed to making this a successful and memorable collaboration.

“This partnership opens numerous opportunities for our nation. By attracting cricket teams during their off-season, we aim to make St. Kitts and Nevis a go-to destination for pre-season training.

“Additionally, the expertise and resources from Sussex Cricket will bolster our local sports development programs, enhancing our sports academy.”

For more information, please contact the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Sports and Creative Economy at info@sportsek.gv.kn