ORDER OF PLAY
Hospitality Gates Open 5:00pm
Main Gates Open 5:30pm
Live Music in the Shark Zone 5:30pm
Toss 6:30pm
First Ball 7:00pm
Innings Interval 8:15pm approx.
Catch the Cash with 1st Central 8:20pm
End of Play
9:45pm approx.
INTRODUCING THE
Zone
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 OFFERS
Great food and drink offers that won’t break the bank.
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, adjacent to the Family Stand, in front of the FamZone.
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.
TO SUCCESS BLASTING THE SHARKS HARRISON
Harrison, firstly your assessment of the campaign so far?
I think it’s been very good so far! To be 6 wins from 8 games and second in the table puts us in a strong position going into the second block of blast games. Everyone who’s played has contributed in some way which shows we have match winners the whole way down our side.
Results this year so far have been much better, particularly at home, what do you put that down to?
I’d put it down to us as a group always taking the positive whether it’s with bat or ball. The coaching staff and Millsy have backed everyone who’s played to take that option and it’s showed in games where we’ve looked behind with the bat and lads down the order have got us up to very good scores. And with the ball we’re taking wickets consistently through our 20 overs.
You had to wait for your chance to get in the team, but you’ve grabbed it with both hands – two big halfcenturies already, you must be extremely happy with the impact you’ve had at the top of the order?
It’s been good to contribute to a couple of wins. I had to stay patient last year for a chance as well so I knew that if I kept myself in a good place mentally that when I got a chance that it would give me the best chance to score runs.
You’ve opened with Dan Hughes, you both seem to complement each other so well, what’s it like playing with him and how much has he impressed you?
He’s been excellent for us. We seem to hit the ball in different areas which always helps. He’s also kept me calm in situations that I could have thrown my wicket away and kept me focussed. I think he’s impressed everyone, not just me and hopefully he
can keep his form going for the rest of the tournament.
It really has been a team effort across the games, everyone chipping in with runs and wickets – it seems to everyone on the outside that there is a real togetherness and team spirit among the group?
There definitely is! The championship team started the season off so well and it feels like we have carried that into the T20 Blast. Everyone is enjoying playing with each other and therefore backing each other to do well and that makes it easier to put in performances.
Six games still left to play, with plenty of tough fixtures in there, how confident are you and the team of continuing the great form you’ve already shown this year?
I think it would be very easy to look ahead at what could come at the end of the group stages. However,
every game we’ve played so far, we have gone into focussing purely on that game and we will do that for the rest of the tournament and see where it takes us.
Paul has mentioned the goal was to get to the next stage of the competition, but there must be some quiet confidence among the group that you could go further and make finals day?
As much as you want to focus on the next game. Everyone at the start of a new season looks at final’s day as the big event in the domestic calendar and wants to play in it. I think if we keep playing the way we are then I see no reason why we can’t get to finals day as everyone is contributing and playing well.
OUR SUCCESSES WOULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT A STRONG TEAM, WHO ALL DESERVE HUGE CREDIT FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT.
COMMUNITY CRICKET DIRECTOR
A MESSAGE FROM GARY WALLIS-TAYLER
2023 has been another incredible year for the Sussex Cricket Foundation. Participation across all areas of the game continues to rise and recreational cricket in Sussex has never been in a stronger position. We continue to be held in high regard both locally and nationally, with the ECB describing us as a ‘Leading Organsiation’ in Disability, Women & Girls and Schools Cricket delivery, a fantastic endorsement of the amazing work we continue to do across Sussex.
Providing opportunities for state school cricketers remains a high priority and our partnership with Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, our state school of choice for cricket, provides high quality cricket provision in a state school setting. BACA once again featured in The Cricketers Top 100 Cricket Schools, another fantastic achievement.
Women & Girls Cricket continues to be an area of growth and there are many exciting opportunities that lie ahead in the future. The launch of the Sussex Womens Premier Cricket League, the continued success of the Womens Slam and increased soft ball opportunities now provides players with a formalised pathway.
and developing Disability Cricket. Record numbers attended our DIScoverABILITY Day and there was more success for our Sussex Sharks Visually Impaired team, who won the T20 Cup. A special mention to Alfie Pyle who made history in becoming the first ever Super 1s participant to go on and represent his County, an amazing achievement. Alfie became the 43rd capped England LD player in this winters tour to South Africa.
A notable achievement in 2023 was the investment made into Crawley through our Urban Cricket Plan. Over £200,000 has been invested into the town which has seen 7 new non-turf cricket pitches in clubs and/or schools and the installation of a new indoor net facility at the Apple Tree Centre in Ifield, a facility which will be heavily used by local clubs throughout the winter months.
Supporting our communities continues to be of high importance. Our Walking Cricket and Sporting Memories programmes continue to go from strength to strength, our In the Bag scheme once again saw over 1000 food bags delivered in Brighton & Hove and our Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub remains available to help support people in need.
Continuing to make The 1st Central County Ground accessible is crucial to inspiring the next generation and making memories. Events such as our Champions League Finals Day provide playing opportunities for junior players, whilst mass events such as DIScoverABILITY Day or our Family Fun Day with the Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation provide participants with the opportunity
As a Foundation we continue to be in the best place possible, both financially and operationally. Our successes wouldn’t happen without a strong team, who all deserve huge credit for their hard work and commitment. I would also like to say a special thank you to Rob Andrew (former Chief Executive), the rest of the Senior Leadership Team, our Trustees, Patrons, our Community Partners and to everyone that has donated to the Foundation during 2023 – your support is greatly appreciated.
There is plenty to look forward to in 2024, as we continue growing the game and making it accessible to all across Sussex, which helps in our mission to actively change lives through the power of cricket. I look forward to seeing you at The 1st Central County Ground during the summer.
We also continue to operate the world’s largest adult cricket league, which allows clubs, teams and players to compete in a single league structure. This provides everyone with an equal opportunity to progress, no matter the size or ability of your club. The league continues to grow with more teams and an extra division in place for 2024!
As Sussex Cricket’s Charitable Arm, our aim is to actively change lives through cricket across the community.
If you would like to support the work we do, please scan the QR Code to donate.
From all of us with the Sussex Cricket Foundation Team, thank you for your support.
sussexcricket.co.uk/sussex-cricket-foundation
FIXTURES & RESULTS
