The official Members Magazine for sussex ccc
Spring/Summer 2015
exclusive!
mills and boom! why EXPRESS DELIVERY tymal already feels at home WITH NEW-LOOK sussex
PLUS sharkS' skipper luke wright ON A BUSY YEAR LOWDOWN ON THE squad + MARK ROBINSON LOOKS AHEAD + OUR DIVISION ONE RIVALS RATED + SUSSEX WOMEN
#GOSBTS
contents spring 2015 04
TYMAL MILLS
One of our new recruits on how he’s settled down quickly at Sussex
08
LUKE WRIGHT
Is it really 10 years since Luke came to Hove? He talks about captaincy, England and running a benefit
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THE SQUAD
This year’s players profiled by Adam Matthews
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MARK ROBINSON
NEWS: SCENE AROUND SUSSEX
Three pages of news on cricket and cricketers across the county
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WOMEN’S AND GIRLS CRICKET
A look ahead to the new season at international and county level, with Head of Women’s Cricket Charlotte Burton
24
THE COUNTY SET
We look at what’s been happening at our Division One rivals and assess their prospects in this year’s LV=County Championship
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THE NEXT GENERATION
Small but perfectly formed – our Academy players for 2015 profiled
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how he's settled down quickly at Sussex
luke wright talks about
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tymal mills one of our new recruits on
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Our Professional Cricket Manager discusses a wide range of topics as he prepares for his 10th season in the top job
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Captaincy, England and running a benefit
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news England international Holly Colvin is returning to play for Sussex this season after taking a year out from the game.
Publishers: MCR Media www.mcrmedia.co.uk Design: Pleece & Co www.pleeceandco.com and Alison Cooper www.alisoncooper.com Editorial: Bruce Talbot. contributors: Adam Matthews, Charlotte Burton Photography: SNAP, Getty Images
Hove&Away • 3
express delivery
It’s been a while since a new signing at Sussex created as much of a stir as Tymal Mills. If there is a quicker bowler in England than the 22-year-old with the build of a light-heavyweight boxer they are keeping a very low profile. Sussex fans of a certain age would love Mills to evoke memories of Imran Khan and Garth Le Roux, who used to bowl like the wind at Hove in the 1980s when fast, bouncy pitches encouraged them to bend their backs. Nothing excites cricket fans more than raw pace and Mills has plenty of that. It’s also an occupation that puts a strain on his body, which is why his workload will be carefully managed this summer. Sussex admit they have taken a bit of a risk in signing Mills, who didn’t play for Essex, from whom he’s been signed on a two-year contract, after July last year because of a back injury. “It is a gamble, but signing any bowler is a gamble,” said Professional Cricket Manager Mark Robinson. “But there is so much potential there.” Robinson saw that close up for the first time early in 2014 when Mills was fasttracked onto the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka which Robinson led as Head Coach.
Nothing excites cricket fans like raw pace and new signing Tymal Mills can promise plenty of that By Bruce Talbot
Tymal in full flow bowling for England Lions against Bangladesh A in August 2013. Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images
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The injury wasn’t caused by trying to bowl too fast. It could have happened if I’d been bowling at 70mph but eight months out has made me think differently. I see Sussex as a completely fresh start. He had spent the first part of that winter with the England squad on the ill-fated Ashes trip. Mills, who can get the speed gun regularly above 90mph when he’s in synch, was supposed to replicate the left-arm menace posed by Mitchell Johnson. He certainly rattled a few gilded cages in the nets. He smashed Joe Root’s helmet and left captain (and county team-mate at the time) Alistair Cook nursing a badly bruised arm. So how does he like being regarded as the quickest bowler in England? His response is surprising. “I’m certainly not sick of it but to be honest I want to distance myself from it a bit. When it all happened and I was bowling at the England lads in the nets and doing okay I got caught up in it a bit and started looking too far ahead. “The injury I got last summer wasn’t caused by trying to bowl too fast. It could have happened if I’d been bowling at 70mph but eight months out of the game has made me think differently. I see Sussex as a completely fresh start for me.” Mills settled in Brighton, sharing a flat with one of his friends, almost as soon as he opted to join Sussex last October. The decision to choose the county ahead of several others was simple enough. “No one I spoke to had a bad word to say about Sussex and the environment here,” he said. “I obviously knew Robbo from the Lions which was another plus and I like the area. I have settled in really well and I love Brighton, it’s a wicked place.” After strength and conditioning work before Christmas, Mills headed to Spain earlier in the year for a fast bowlers’ camp led by new Bowling Coach Jon Lewis. It was the first time he could test his fitness outdoors on grass and all went well while his relationship with Lewis blossomed.
“I’ve only worked with two other coaches before, Kevin Shine with England and Chris Silverwood at Essex so it’s a new dynamic for me,” he said. “But we get on really well and have already struck up a really good relationship. He’s got so much experience and I am really enjoying working with him.” Mills got more overs under his belt during the pre-season trip to Dubai and is clearly desperate for the serious stuff to start. He’s also mindful that to protect his body and make sure that is able to bowl with the handbrake off he cannot subject himself to the daily grind of county cricket. He added: “I’m a confident person and would back myself to do well if I play. I think I’ve got a better method now, particularly in one-day cricket. I back myself to bowl the big overs with the white ball. But I’m not going to play every game. I want to be able to bowl at my optimum and be 100% every time I step onto the park and I won’t be able to do that if I’m playing day in, day out.” Sussex’s bowling resources look well stocked with the arrival of Mills and Ajmal Shahzad giving Robinson more options and the opportunity to rotate his key men this summer. But when he is charging down the slope at Hove Mills will be some sight. Interestingly, when he came to sign he sought out Head Groundsman Andy Mackay, who is relaying the square and has produced some pitches in the last couple of years that a tyro like Mills will no doubt relish. “I’ve never played at Hove before, even in second-team cricket,” he revealed. “But speaking to Robbo, the groundsman and the other bowlers I think the wickets here are going to suit me.”
Ajmal’s delight Our other new arrival is Ajmal Shahzad, who opted for Hove instead of several other potential suitors when Nottinghamshire agreed to release him early from his contract. The 29 year-old seamer played for England 15 times across the three formats, including a Test appearance against Bangladesh in 2010. He’s also played in 11 one-day internationals and three T20 games. He started out at Yorkshire, crossed the Pennines to play for Lancashire on loan before two seasons at Trent Bridge where he was a mainstay of their one-day side without ever getting the regular opportunities in first-class cricket that would have enabled him to press his claims for another chance at Test level. He has taken over 200 wickets in first-class cricket and 24 in one-day competition last season. He said: “I’m just delighted to be down here with a great squad, great management, surrounded by good people and I hope it brings out the best in me.”
Hove&Away • 5
It’s a good job Luke Wright likes to keep active.
keeping busy Luke Wright has a lot on his plate this year, but as he celebrates a decade at Sussex he is relishing the challenges that 2015 will bring By Bruce Talbotby bruce talbot Luke Wright scored more than 600 runs in the NatWest T20 Blast last season and will be aiming for more when he leads the team this summer
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2015 is shaping up to be the busiest of his career as the 30-year-old wrestles with the demands of a benefit, awarded to celebrate ten years at Hove, as well as his playing commitments around the world, which include leading Sussex’s NatWest T20 Blast campaign. He’s recently added another slightly unfamiliar role to his CV too, that of contract negotiator as he uses his extensive contacts in the world game, forged during T20 spells in the Indian Premier League and Australian Big Bash, to make sure the Sharks have the best possible opportunity of enjoying a better season in the format under his leadership. He said: “It’s been interesting because as captain I have been liaising with Mark Robinson on trying to get someone for the second half of the T20 campaign and working on budgets and the financial limitations we have to work to. “Mahela Jayawardene playing in the first half is massive for us and for me personally because someone of his experience can only help. “I’m fortunate to have played with a lot of top players so I have some good contacts and if we can get the person in we want to replace Mahela it will be another good signing for us.”
Sussex’s pursuit of world-class players such as Jayawardene is evidence of their determination to at least reach the knockout stages this summer after two years when they failed to get out of the South Group. Wright is desperate to be a success in his first year as captain, and with so much experience of the format in different conditions he was an obvious choice. There isn’t much he doesn’t know about tactics or personnel in T20, but who are the captains he has played under that have left a favourable impression? “There’s a couple,” he said. “Cameron White, at Melbourne Stars, had to manage a dressing room full of big egos and a lot of talent as well as the massive expectations of the franchise itself. But he is always pretty relaxed and I think that spreads through to the other guys. “And Mike Yardy did a fantastic job when he captained us to the T20 title in 2009. He’s quite subtle in his man management and tactics but still very effective. “I want to lead by example. All the best leaders do and I think we have a stronger squad this year, but the standard has massively improved in our T20. All the counties buy into it now and sign players specifically for T20 who they think can make a difference. But it’s been too long without a trophy for Sussex and I want to put that right this year.” As well as leading the quest for one-day silverware, Wright is desperate to build on his impressive performances in the Championship last year. Sore knees prevent him from doing much bowling these days so he concentrated on batting and scored 933 runs, including three hundreds, in 12 games, averaging 51. “Being able to focus on four-day cricket was good for me. It made me concentrate and I think I have become a better player as a result,” he said. For the first time since 2007 Wright wasn’t involved with England last summer and he is phlegmatic enough to accept that after 101 appearances he might have played his last international. He’d love another opportunity, of course, but he seems content enough with what he achieved.
“I’m so happy with my life and my cricket and I’ve stopped worrying about England,” he said. “I won’t have any regrets if I don’t play again because at the time it was quite a stressful experience. “I think I’m a better player than I was, say, three years ago and if you asked most guys who played for England they would say they wish they could get their chance again because until you need to experience international cricket for a sustained period to become better at it. “Until last year my focus for seven years was on playing one-day cricket for England. I’d come back to Sussex for a month, would play some four-day stuff but as soon as I got out I would go and practice one-day shots because the next [England] squad was just around the corner. It got quite stressful because if you weren’t worrying about your own form you’d be checking to see how other guys were getting on.” Talking of stressful experiences, isn’t running a benefit supposed to be top of that list? “Everyone keeps telling me that,” laughed Luke. “But I’m really enjoying it. If I can put something off until tomorrow or next week I normally will but I have to organise my time now so I’ve become a lot better at getting things done. I’ve also got a really good committee who have taken a lot of the stress away which is brilliant.” They started his benefit launch lunch with a film of highlights from the last decade as a Sussex and England. “It was quite emotional actually,” said Luke. “You don’t realise until you sit down and look at how many good players I’ve been fortunate to play alongside. But there’s a lot more I want to achieve in my career and hopefully this year can be the start.”
For more information on his benefit go to www. lukewrightbenefit2015.co.uk
Jayawardene signs for T20 Sussex have signed Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene for the first half of our NatWest T20 Blast campaign. The 37-year-old, who has played 149 Tests, will be available for our first seven matches of the tournament, starting against Kent on Friday, May 15, at Canterbury. Jayawardene has scored 4,051 runs at an average of 28.73 in 170 T20 games, including 55 internationals. Professional Cricket Manager Mark Robinson said: “His record and his reputation is second to none. He will also bring his leadership and experience. I’m sure he will be a huge asset to Luke Wright as the new captain and the whole squad and coaching staff.” The Colombo-born right-hander has scored more than 11,000 runs in both Test matches and one-day internationals.
Hove&Away • 9
meet the squad Adam Matthews introduces this season’s professional squad ED JOYCE (Captain) The mercurial Irishman performed incredibly in 2014 and led from the front as Sussex suffered a number of injuries during the season. He made eight centuries in the LV=County Championship, a first-class tally which was boosted to nine with a hundred against Loughborough MCCU, and made 1398 runs his 23 innings. His highest score was the unbeaten 164 against Nottinghamshire at Hove, and had begun this season by reaching the 100 cap milestone for Ireland. He also represented his country earlier this year in the ICC Cricket World Cup.
AJMAL SHAHZAD Sussex pulled off a coup during the winter with the signing of the 29 year-old England seamer, who penned a deal at Hove until the end of the 2017 season, after the Trent Bridge county granted him early release from his contract. He made his Test bow for England against Bangladesh in 2010, has also played 11 One-Day Internationals and three T20 matches for his country. Beginning his career with his native Yorkshire, he had a loan spell with Lancashire before starring at Nottinghamshire where he was the fulcrum of their white-ball attack last season, taking 11 wickets in the Royal London One-Day Cup and claimed 13 NatWest T20 Blast scalps.
ASHAR ZAIDI The former Pakistan A all-rounder was used across all three formats in his first full season at Hove and the
33 year-old fought back well in the final three Championship matches of the summer, making his highest score of 88 against Northamptonshire in his 100th first-class match. His best performance with the ball came against Lancashire at Hove when he took 3 for 36.
BEN BROWN The Crawley-born wicketkeeper-batsman broke many a record during the LV=County Championship match with Durham at Hove as he shared an incredible sixth-wicket partnership of 335 with Luke Wright. The 163 he made was the highest first-class score of his career and also the highest ever by a Sussex number seven. He was an ever-present for Sussex across all three formats and has penned a one-year extension to his current contract, which will see him stay at Hove until at least the end of next season. He also earned his county cap in 2014.
CALLUM JACKSON Wicketkeeperbatsman Jackson finished as second top run-scorer in the 2nd XI in red-ball cricket in 2014, hitting 653 runs at an average of over 40, including a best of 172 against Middlesex. The 20 year-old, who hails from Eastbourne, signed a new one-year contract to see him through until at least the end of this season and the promising youngster spent the winter playing club cricket for Alubond Tigers, one of the leading professional sides in the United Arab Emirates.
CHRIS JORDAN The rapid rise to fame of the humble Jordan came at a cost to Sussex. His involvement with the England team in 2014 meant his availability for his county was restricted. He did star in the defeat to Somerset at Hove in April, taking 5 for 76 in the visitors’ first-innings and bowled with gusto at Horsham as Warwickshire were defeated for the second time in the season. His international career went from strength to strength as he made his Test bow for England against Sri Lanka at Lord’s, playing in both games of the two-match series, and three matches against India. He also became a mainstay of the one-day international team and toured Sri Lanka and Australia with England before heading down under with the World Cup squad, making his competition debut against Bangladesh in Adelaide. The 26 year-old has now featured over 30 times in all formats for England and continues to enhance his burgeoning reputation.
CHRIS LIDDLE The energetic left-armer had a quiet 2014 by his own high standards but the 31 year-old’s best performance of the season came in toppling neighbours Surrey on their own patch, as he claimed 3 for 39 in the 36-run Royal London One-Day Cup victory. Liddle was mainly utilised in one-day cricket and will be aiming to make an impact in the shortest formats of the game this season. He has trained with the Hong Kong international set-up as part of his pre-season preparations.
>> Hove&Away • 11
CHRIS NASH It was a difficult start to the 2014 season for Nash as a burst appendix completely disrupted his pre-season preparations. He was unable to join the rest of the squad on their pre-season trip the UAE and didn’t manage to make his comeback until early May, when he faced Lancashire at Old Trafford. After a slow start he did eventually find his feet with the bat and made 178 in the September victory over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, his only three-figure score of the season. He did enjoy eight half-centuries across all formats. Chris spent the winter training and playing in South Africa.
CRAIG CACHOPA The former New Zealand Under-19s captain was born in South Africa but qualifies as a non-overseas signing as he holds a Portuguese passport, and arrived at Hove via Reigate Priory CC. After a stint scoring heavily in the 2nd XI he was thrown into the Sussex team for the NatWest T20 Blast clash with Kent. His best form came in the Championship when he forced his way into the team across all three formats, and scored 441 first-class runs in only five matches, earning him the Young Player of the Year award. He signed a two-year contract with Sussex following his time in the 2nd XI.
HARRY FINCH The 20 year-old continued his steady progression in 2014, the Hastings-born product of Sussex’s Age Group and Academy system making his T20 debut for Sussex in 2014 against Sri Lanka. He came to the fore in the final Royal London One-Day Cup outing of the season as he smashed an unbeaten 92 from 58 deliveries against Glamorgan at Hove, and has put to pen to paper to extend his contract until at least the end of the 2016 campaign. He spent the winter in Australia playing club cricket in order to hone his skills ahead of the new season, when he will
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hope to compete for a place in the first team.
JAMES ANYON It was a difficult season for the reliable seamer as, like a number of his colleagues, his campaign was cut short through injury. The ankle problem ensured that the former Warwickshire man was unable to appear for Sussex after late June, by which time he had already taken 21 first-class wickets. He also contributed with the bat, hitting a valuable halfcentury in Sussex’s Championship victory over Middlesex at Hove. Jimmy will be hoping that a winter of rehabilitation at home will allow him to hit the ground running in 2015.
LEWIS HATCHETT With James Anyon injured for much of the summer and Chris Jordan away with England, Hatchett grabbed his opportunity with both hands and the Shoreham-born 25 year-old earned himself a fresh two-year contract, which sees him stay until at least the end of the 2016 season. He played in eight of Sussex’s County Championship matches last season, taking 22 wickets with a best of 5 for 113 coming against Durham at the Emirates ICG. He featured in all eight of the Sharks’ Royal London One-Day Cup matches, claiming a best of 3 for 44 against Surrey at the Kia Oval, and took 11 wickets in Sussex’s NatWest T20 Blast campaign, with the highlight his 3 for 23 in the win over Middlesex at Hove.
LUKE WELLS The 24 year-old opening batsman, who was born in Eastbourne, hit 942 LV=County Championship runs during the 2014 season at an average of 36.23. His highest score of the campaign came in the final match of the summer as he made 162 against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. The left-hander has scored 3,674 first-class runs since making his four-day bow in 2010, including eight centuries, and
committed his future to Sussex at the end of last season, signing a new two– year deal which ties him to Hove until at least the end of next season.
LUKE WRIGHT An incredible year in all formats for Wright culminated in him signing a new long-term contract with Sussex, as he was awarded a Benefit with the club in 2015 and also announced as the Sharks’ new captain in the NatWest T20 Blast. He matured in four-day cricket too and hit his first-class best of 189 in sharing the record-breaking partnership with Ben Brown against Durham while his swashbuckling style in the T20 format saw him smash an incredible unbeaten 153 from only 66 balls as Sussex mounted a successful world-record run chase against Essex at Chelmsford. He hit 601 runs in all in the shortest format and made 933 first-class runs averaging over 50. Wright also made 292 runs in the Royal London One-Day Cup, and once again played for Melbourne Stars in Australia’s Big Bash during the winter.
MATT MACHAN The 24 year-old once again appeared across all three formats in 2014 as he aimed to establish himself as a regular on the teamsheet. He hit an early-season first-class century against Loughborough MCCU and scored consistently in both 20 and 50 over cricket. He has continued to represent Scotland and made 33 in the one-off ODI against England last May, before touring New Zealand with the team before Christmas. He played in the tri-series with Ireland and Afghanistan in Dubai in January, and struck a half-century at the beginning of the 2015 ICC World Cup against co-hosts New Zealand in Dunedin.
MATT PRIOR The 33 year-old began his quest to regain his place in the England team last summer and struck an impressive century as Sussex beat Middlesex at Hove in the Champi-
onship. But he made only one NatWest T20 Blast appearance before playing again in four-day cricket due to his long-standing troublesome achilles injury. He was recalled by England and Prior played in the two Tests against Sri Lanka and another two against India before having to rule himself out for the rest of the international summer due to the injury. He underwent surgery later on in the year and, after a winter of rehabilitation, will be looking work his way back to fitness with Sussex in 2015.
MATTHEW HOBDEN The exciting seam prospect made his LV=County Championship debut for Sussex in 2014 when he took five wickets in the victory over Northamptonshire at Hove. He also tasted NatWest T20 Blast cricket for the first time for the Sharks, making his debut in the enthralling win over Essex at Chelmsford. He was another of the squad to suffer an injury that severely hampered his appearances in the remainder of the season. In February he travelled to South Africa as part of the Potential England Performance Programme, taking part in intensive skills-based and strength and conditioning training camps.
MICHAEL YARDY It was the allrounder’s Benefit Year in 2014 but sustained a freak injury in the NatWest T20 Blast match at Glamorgan at the end of May. Before the T20 campaign he had scored a century against Lancashire at Old Trafford in the drawn match when he was the fulcrum of Sussex’s first innings. The bicep injury at Cardiff ruled him out for over three months but he did return for the final three Championship matches of the summer, scoring a half-century in the final game against Northamptonshire. He spent much of the winter working towards his Psychology Degree at University of Chichester.
STEFFAN PIOLET The 26 year-old all-rounder returned to his home county at the end of the 2013 campaign from Warwickshire and went on to figure in all formats in the 2014 season. He particularly made an impact in the one-day team, playing in all but one of Sussex’s NatWest T20 Blast matches, taking 15 wickets including a best of 3 for 14 against Kent at Canterbury, and featuring in seven of the Sharks’ One-Day Cup matches, smashing an unbeaten 63 from 48 deliveries against Nottinghamshire at Horsham. He has signed a new one-year deal for the upcoming campaign.
STEVE MAGOFFIN The club were delighted to seal a fresh deal with the Australian after another magical season. The 34 year-old’s new contract will see him remain at Hove until at least the end of the 2016 campaign. He was the leading wickettaker in Division One of the Championship in 2014 with a fantastic haul of 72 wickets at an average of 19.51. It was his third season in Sussex colours, in which time he has taken 192 Championship wickets as the spearhead of the attack, improving his wickets tally year upon year and finishing top of Sussex’s wicket-taking charts in all three seasons.
TYMAL MILLS The explosive young fast bowler, who can bowl in excess of 90mph, arrives at Hove on a two-year contract after a number of counties had been chasing his signature. He began his career with Minor Counties side Suffolk before moving on to Essex, for whom he made his first-class debut in 2011. In the same season he also featured in the England setup for the Under-19s and the Development XI. In his 59 first-team matches for Essex he has taken 76 wickets and will be aiming to fulfil his exciting potential which
has seen him called up to the England Lions squads over the past three years.
WILL BEER The Crawleyborn leg-spinner has mainly been deployed in one-day cricket for Sussex and made a huge impact during 2014, taking 13 wickets in the Sharks’ NatWest T20 Blast campaign, and also starred in the Royal London One-Day Cup, leading Sussex to victory with the bat against Durham when he and Yasir Arafat rescued victory from the jaws of defeat putting together a 97-run partnership to win the match.
MAHELA JAYAWARDENE Mahela Jayawardene will join Sussex for the first half of their 2015 NatWest T20 Blast campaign. The 37 year-old Sri Lankan has played 170 matches in the shortest format of the game, scoring over 4000 runs. He has figured 55 times for his country in International T20 matches, scoring nearly 1,500 runs, with his highest score of 100 coming against Zimbabwe in 2010. He retired from international T20 matches last year and signed off in style by helping Sri Lanka win the World Twenty20. One of their most decorated players in world cricket, Jayawardene has scored over 10,000 runs in both Test matches and One-Day Internationals for Sri Lanka.
Hove&Away • 13
view from the top In the life of our Professional Cricket Manager it seems there just aren’t enough hours in the day. It’s the day before the players and coaching staff fly out to Dubai for their pre-season training camp and Mark Robinson has got a hundred and one things to do. But between meetings he sat down with Hove and Away to talk about the new season.
Lewis Hatchett will be hoping to build on an impressive 2014 in all formats of the game
Robbo on... Preparing for the new season…. Of course I don’t hate pre-season but it is so busy for the support staff and myself because there are so many areas of our cricket operation that we have an input in. I must admit it is nice to get away for a few days with the players. When we go through security at the airport it’s great because there are no distractions and when we get there it’s you and the players. You can talk to them on a one-to-one basis without having 27 other things to do! Finding time to do that during a busy season is very difficult. You do get a bit of space on away trips once the season starts but finding time to think and to talk and reflect is difficult.
This year’s squad… The biggest thing is that we have more depth in seam department. We’d love to be able to play four seamers and to win the Championship I think you need that or three seamers and one all-rounder with either your spinner or wicketkeeper batting in the top six. That’s our challenge and it’s something we’re working towards now. We didn’t have enough depth in the seam department last year, which is why we have brought in Tymal Mills and Ajmal Shahzad, two exciting
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bowlers. Both have a yard of pace and are really hungry for this new challenge. We’re also hoping Lewis Hatchett can continue the progress he made last year and Matthew Hobden can benefit from the winter he’s had with the England Structure Group, in particular improving his physicality so he can protect his body. With Mike Yardy and Chris Nash back 100% fit I think we have more options this season and competition for places, which is important.
Injuries… We got stung badly in the middle of last season with injuries but hopefully it will be different in 2015. At the moment Jimmy Anyon is out until the end of April because of a knee problem and we don’t have a return date for Matt Prior because of his ongoing Achilles injury. Those are two blows, but we do have cover now.
Improving our one-day performances… It is obviously an area we need to improve in because in the last two years it has been disappointing. I’m looking forward to see how Luke Wright leads the T20 side. Luke has matured massively in the last year. He has no England distractions and is 100% focused on Sussex. He is hardly bowling now because of his knee but it’s made him more responsible for his runs and we saw evidence of that in 2014, not just in white-ball cricket. He was an obvious choice as T20 captain and we hope he’s a great leader for us too. Having someone of Mahela Jayawardene’s experience and presence for the first half of the competition will help too. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can bring to us on and off the pitch.
Changes behind the scenes… It’s great to have someone of Jon Lewis’s experience and capability as our new Bowling Coach. He’s got a broad brief – I don’t just want him
stuck with the pros – his job is also to develop the younger bowlers in our structure too. In my role I just couldn’t give the bowlers the attention they deserve. I felt we needed someone to focus just on them and Jon is a great fit.
England… I had a really good winter (coaching England Lions in South Africa). I spent a lot of time with Graham Thorpe and learned a lot from him and also where the emphasis is on the development of England players going forward. You pick up things you can incorporate into your day job as well which are good for Sussex. England’s World Cup was disappointing but one thing I can say is that we have got talent in this country. It was our next best XI against South Africa’s and we won comfortably, the standard of our performances was extremely high. We are producing good players; the likes of Ben Stokes, Jason Roy, James Vince and Mark Wood are four who stood out.
Winning trophies again… We are here to win trophies and we can’t ever be ashamed of saying that. I felt we made a move in four-day cricket last year. We stood toe to toe with some big teams and were a lot tougher. Sometimes you can just lack a bit of skill but what you can’t lack is will to win and character. As a player I played my part along with others in the culture change under Peter Moores at this club back in the late 1990s but I missed out on the successful years that followed as a player. It could be the same for some of our players now. We might miss out this year but when we do win, as we did a few years ago, you win again and again and again. Every year now we are at the top table giving ourselves a chance to win. We are building some strong foundations here and if it (winning trophies) doesn’t happen this year it will be next year or the year after, I’m confident of that. The aim is not to win once but to keep winning, that's the sign of a good culture.
Interview: Bruce Talbot Hove&Away • 15
news scene around sussex
Colvin back England international Holly Colvin is returning to play for Sussex this season after taking a year out from the game. Having been part of the England set-up since the age of 15, when she was called into make her Test debut against Australia at Hove while studying at Brighton College, the 25 year-old left-arm spinner [pictured] took time out in 2014 after captaining Sussex the previous season. She said: “I’ve gained a lot of experience in my time off and if anything it’s given me a lot of perspective that there is more to life than just cricket. I have no idea if I will play international cricket again. I’m just returning to the game so I can play for the love of it - it’s as simple as that.” Holly has played 127 times for her country and was part of England’s World Cup 50 and 20 over winning teams. She spent part of her year off working in Africa with Cricket Without Boundaries, a charity that helps raise awareness of AIDS and HIV.
Signing on As the players reported back for pre-season, Ben Brown and Harry Finch became the latest players to agree contract extensions that will keep them at Sussex until the end of the 2016 season. Wicketkeeper Brown is now firmly established behind the stumps across all formats for the county while Finch, a product of the club’s Academy, made his breakthrough in 2014 in one-day cricket, the highlight an eye-catching 92 off 58 balls in the Royal London One-Day Cup game against Glamorgan at Hove. Earlier in the year, left-arm seamer Lewis Hatchett and opening batsman Luke Wells signed contract extensions which will keep him them Hove until the end of 2016 as well. Steffan Piolet, Callum Jackson and Will Beer have all agreed contracts for 2015.
Face of Hove changes again The club have been granted permission to build new offices in the northeast corner of the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground. Work will start at the end of this season on five new units, each 65 sq. metres in size with full office specification including on-site parking and air conditioning. A sixth will be converted from the existing catering unit and all will be ready for occupation in January 2016. Approximately 30 new jobs will be created bringing the total workforce at the County Ground to around 130. Chief Executive Zac Toumazi said: “This development will add to our goal of being a unique facility available to the community all-year round.”
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scene around sussex Hamilton-Brown retires
Sussex Cricket Museum membership Please join the Sussex Cricket Museum as a Friend or Patron. Your support is pivotal to our very existence. The annual subscription is payable on 1st April each year. All the money raised will be invested directly into creating the exhibitions in SCM and into the interactive computer software to build the educational side of our project. Friends of SCM will receive two newsletters and one lecture about Sussex cricket history each year, together with priority opportunities to purchase our publications and invitations to all SCM fundraising events. You will also receive private access to the Museum whenever that is possible and, most importantly, the knowledge that you are actively supporting the development of our exciting SCW project. All Friends will be asked for a minimum annual donation of £15. SCW Patrons will receive all of the Friends’ benefits. All patron names are displayed in the Museum and they receive a free copy of this year’s Museum publication booklet Sussex Cricket during World War One. We will again be holding a Patrons’ dinner in the Sussex Cricket Museum on Wed 10th June, full details to follow. This dinner will be at a subsidised price of £30. (non-Patrons may attend at £50 per person). SCM Patrons are asked for a minimum annual donation of £125 payable in April each year. To pay : Please complete and return the information below to:
All-rounder Rory Hamilton-Brown announced his retirement in Tony Lewis, SCM Membership Secretary, Sussex CCC, The March after failing to overcome Brightonandhovejobs.com County Ground, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3AN a wrist injury that badly affected or visit our Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/scmet his 2014 season. Despite two operations, the 27 year-old ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATION FORM 2015 was not convinced he could operate at anything more than ’70 or 80 per cent’ and will now concentrate on a career in property management in the City. Rory [pictured] had two spells with Sussex. He was part of the squad that won three one-day trophies in 2008-09 and after a successful three years with Surrey, whom he led to victory in a Lord’s final and promotion to Division One of the County Championship, he returned to Hove for two further years in 2013. He said: “It has been a privilege to play with and against some fantastic players and people all over the world. I will leave the game with a heavy heart but take with me many amazing memories and friends for life.” Professional Cricket Manager Mark Robinson said: “Rory worked incredibly hard during his time with us and we are really sorry he has had to retire. We wish him all the best for the future and he knows there will always be a warm welcome for him here at Hove.”
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scene around sussex Dakic gets England call-up Sussex had their first player in the England Learning Disability Squad last month when allrounder Jonathan Dakic was selected for the series in Australia. Jonathan, whose interest in the game was sparked by watching the 2005 Ashes series, began playing with Eastergate CC shortly afterwards and following the involvement of the Sussex Cricket Board’s Chance to Shine sessions at his school, he attended Learning Disability cricket sessions at The BrightonandHoveJobs. com County Ground. After progressing through the LD squad and receiving coaching from the Sussex Development Programme, led by Cricket Development Officer Matt Parsons, he had a successful trial at Lord’s and was picked in the England Development Squad four years ago. He said: “I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be able to represent my country at international level. This wouldn't have been possible without the coaching and the setup of the Sussex LD Development Programme.”
Junior Deaf Teams launched Sussex, through their Cricket in the Community initiative, have recently started their first ever County Junior Deaf Team and welcomed some special guests from the England Deaf Team to the Hamilton Lodge School and College for Deaf Children in Brighton to launch the initiative.
The club will run two boys’ sides (Under-14s and U-15s) and a mixed age girls side who will take part in fortnightly indoor training at Brighton College. The College have supported the new venture by offering the use of their sports hall. This will be followed by outdoor summer training, whilst there will also be matches organised including possible inter-county fixtures. The ECB are keen to encourage Sussex to nominate players for their talent ID development centres, where players can push for international honours. Phil Hudson, Head Coach and Umesh Valjee MBE, captain of the England Deaf Team, were on hand to launch the new teams at Hamilton Lodge, where the Deaf Cricket programme has been delivered for the past three years. Hudson said, “I think it’s amazing what Sussex are doing. Disability cricket is a real focus of the ECB and what Sussex are doing with this partnership, and trying to spread deaf Cricket around the county, is massively important so that we can build up the playing pool. We need more cricketers so we have some harder selection issues and young players coming through.”
Yardy and Davis get PCA scholarships Sussex batsman Mike Yardy and Head Coach Mark Davis have been awarded Professional Cricketers’ Association Personal Development Scholarships. The scholarships were introduced in 2013 to find and reward the most proactive members, past and present, on or off the pitch, in the area of personal development. They will each receive a scholarship of £1,000 towards Personal Development course funding, resources of their choice or to reimburse costs already incurred. Yardy is in the first year of a degree
in Sports Psychology at Chichester University where he also coaches the students’ cricket team. The former England international has also done charity work with Mind and Time to Change to raise awareness of mental health. Davis has just completed a two year Executive MBA in Sports Management postgraduate degree at Loughborough University with distinction.
Trent Bridge trip
Sussex supporters can enjoy four days at the Championship game against Nottinghamshire from June 1-4 thanks to the annual trip organised by board member Richard Barrow. The price of £295 includes three nights at the four-star Ramada hotel in Nottingham just two miles from Trent Bridge, including a threecourse dinner on the Monday evening, couriered coach travel from Sussex and free admission to all four days of the game. The price is based on two sharing double room. Single supplement at £25 per night is available and a threecourse evening meal on the other two nights can be added at £20 per person. To book your place, please send a £50 deposit per person. Please send cheques payable to ‘Sussex Cricket Special’ to Richard J Barrow, Sussex Cricket Special, Eaton Road, Hove BN3 3AN or email barrowrj@live.co.uk for more information.
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a busy summer ahead Charlotte Burton, the county’s Director of women's Cricket, looks forward to a packed season for our women’s and age group teams With the new season fast approaching the Sussex women’s and girls squads are itching to get outside and start playing, having been training since last October. The players have been working hard during the winter developing their skills, working on different scenarios and being put under pressure so they are prepared for the forthcoming season. There are some significant changes to the women’s county game this year, with all matches being played in coloured clothing using a white ball to mirror the International game. Sussex will be wearing the same kit as the men’s T20 clothing. There are also more T20 fixtures than in previous seasons and the Royal London One Day Cup will be played from May to September with matches scheduled when England are playing in the Ashes, resulting in counties losing their England players for a significant part of the season. This does not worry us as we have players who can adapt easily to playing in different roles and we have some good players coming through the system who can hold their own at the top level. Sussex looks as strong as ever with Sarah Taylor continuing as captain and Georgia Elwiss as her deputy. Holly Colvin makes a welcome return after a year’s break from the game and she is focused on Sussex and enjoying her cricket again. Colvin will bring to the team a wealth of experience and knowledge along with her left-arm spin and batting. Sussex will also welcome Australian international and World Cup winning off-spinner Erin Osborne for part of the season. Osborne will be available to play in two Royal London One Day Cup matches and two NatWest T20
Leading from the front: Sarah Taylor will be captaining Sussex again this summer
games before she joins Australia for the Ashes. At 25, she is a very experienced player having being involved in the T20 and One Day World Cups for Australia as well as recently winning the double with her state side New South Wales. There are a number of players who are coming through the Sussex system who will be worth watching this season including opening batsman Georgia Adams, who was Sussex’s highest scorer last year and scored her maiden hundred when she captained the side against Yorkshire. Georgia is part of the England Academy along with opening quick bowler Freya Davies, who has got quicker again this winter, while all rounder Paige Scholfield who will look to show what she can do with both bat and ball. Izzy Collis has been developing her leg spin as well as her batting in the Sussex Academy with Cricket Performance Manager Keith Greenfield while Ellen Burt and Tara Norris have been developing during the winter as quick bowlers. Sussex will be looking to make amends for the disappointing season they had
last year they came fifth in the Royal London One Day Cup and T20 and they kick off their season with a double header, away to Surrey and then Kent on 3-4 May. The Sussex age group squads have been developing all winter and there are some very promising players coming through the ranks. This year we will have six age group squads, from Under-11s to Under-19s with the 13s, 15s and 17s all playing in the One Day Cup and the 15s and 17s also playing more T20 matches than in previous seasons. The Under-17s will be looking to win the One Day Cup for the third successive year and many of the players who helped win it last season still have another year in the side. The Under-15s and 13s will be looking to try and reach the semi finals, having just missed out in 2014.
The season is going to be very busy for all squads but all the players are now ready and raring to get going after a long winter. Hove&Away • 23
our rivals Bruce Talbot looks at where Sussex’s Division One opponents have added to their squads during the close season and assesses their prospects for 2015
Durham’s prospects could depend on the form and England commitments of their talented all-rounder Ben Stokes. Photo: Nigel Roddis/Getty Images
DURHAM Like Warwickshire, Durham have little or no cash to spare on strengthening their squad and with Ben Stokes likely to be more heavily involved with England this summer their resources look a little stretched. Their batting is solid rather than spectacular but Chris Rushworth, who finished with 64 wickets last season, leads the attack well, particularly at the Riverside where Durham are rarely beaten. It’s not a team with a great deal of star quality however and if Stokes gets an extended opportunity for England they might find it a difficult summer. They won’t challenge for honours and could be struggling at the other end of the table instead.
HAMPSHIRE Back in the First Division after a four-year absence, Hampshire have recruited well with Jackson Bird, the Australian fast bowler with three Tests under his belt, the likely spearhead of their four-day attack while Gareth Berg may well be reinvigorated by a new challenge after six years at Middlesex. Their batting looks strong
the odds: Yorkshire 11/4 Warwickshire 9/2 Nottinghamshire 5/1 Durham 13/2 Sussex 8/1 Hampshire 10/1 Middlesex 10/1 Worcestershire 33/1
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but will they be able to bowl sides out twice, particularly on the flat Ageas Bowl pitches? With that in mind, Matt Cole’s return to Kent is a blow and they will need more from their spinners, Danny Briggs and Liam Dawson, who took 44 Championship wickets between them last season. Should survive, but unlikely to challenge for the title.
MIDDLESEX The return of Nick Compton will offset the departure of Joe Denly, who has gone back to Kent, while Adam Voges has returned for a second spell at Lord’s with his third different county and will lead the side with Chris Rogers on Australia duty. In 2014 Middlesex finished seventh after failing to win any of their last ten games. Coach Angus Fraser accused them of playing ‘soft, sloppy cricket’ but he will be pleased to have replaced Rogers with someone of Voges’s experience and proven quality. It could, though, be another tough season for Fraser’s men who might struggle to avoid the bottom two this year.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Notts faded badly last season after chasing Yorkshire for much of the campaign but they seem to have recruited well and the arrival of Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor, who had such a good World Cup, could turn out to be an outstanding acquisition while Vernon Philander and Ben Hilfenhaus, who will share overseas duties, have plenty of experience and should come up with their fair share of wickets, particularly at Trent Bridge.
Injuries to Michael Lumb and the emerging Jake Bibby have disrupted their preparations and they don’t look capable of a sustained title challenge, although they should finish in the top four.
SOMERSET Matt Maynard looks a good fit as their new coach and although they don’t appear to have the financial muscle of some of their rivals they have signed Chris Gayle for T20 while Jim Allenby will relish the step up after five productive years at Second Division Glamorgan. Nick Compton’s return to Middlesex is a blow and it remains to be seen if Marcus Trescothick can rediscover his bruising form of old after a modest 2014 by his standards. It will be interesting to see how Tom Cooper, a mainstay in the Netherlands’ team in recent years, adapts to the county game while Sohail Tanvir and Corey Anderson will also improve their T20 prospects. They look a decent each-way bet for one-day success but it’s difficult to see them doing much in the Championship.
WARWICKSHIRE It has been a quiet winter at Edgbaston. The cost of the ground redevelopment has given coach Dougie Brown little financial leeway and he will rely on last season’s squad with only Jim Troughton, who has retired, missing for 2015. Their hopes of a title challenge could depend on the whim of the England selectors. If Jonathan Trott gets back in it will leave a big hole in the top order and teenage prospect Sam Hain might find things a bit more difficult after a stellar first season. The seam attack again looks strong and they bat a long way but whether they have the squad depth to maintain a challenge for honours is open to question. They will, as always, be one of the most competitive teams but 9/2 second favourites for the title look far too short odds.
WORCESTERSHIRE Back in the top flight, the Pears seem to have become everyone’s favourite underdog and once again they will be fighting against the odds this season. Alex Gidman looks a good acquisition from Gloucestershire and while no team is dependent on a single individual the form and fitness of Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal, who took 63 wickets in nine games last season, will be pivotal. Whether their top order can compensate for the absence of Moeen Ali is another cause for concern and the seam attack lacks star quality. Most supporters of First Division teams would be happy for Worcestershire to survive, providing it wasn’t their team who suffered, but it could still be a testing 150th anniversary summer at New Road.
YORKSHIRE The champions have recruited from a position of strength and will once again be the side to beat this year. Coach Jason Gillespie talked about creating a legacy of success when they won the Championship for the first time since 2001 last year and if anything they look even stronger for their title defence. Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell would improve any side and Gillespie didn’t just have one-day cricket in mind when they brought them in while Younis Khan and Kane Williamson should give their strong seam attack plenty of runs to work with. England calls are likely to be less disruptive, they have the country’s best opening pair and the absence of a decent spinner is unlikely to make much difference. They will be the team to beat.
Durham
Out: Gareth Breese (retired)
Hampshire Overseas players:
Jackson Bird, Yasir Arafat (T20)
Ins: Andre Adams (Nottinghamshire), Gareth Berg (Middlesex), Owais Shah (free agent)
Outs: David Balcombe (Surrey), Matt Coles (Kent), Ruel Braithwaite, Michael Bates (released)
Middlesex
Overseas players: Adam Voges (Australia), James Franklin (New Zealand)
Ins: Nick Compton (Somerset), Stephen Eskinazi, Max Holden, George Scott, Robbie White (all Academy).
Outs: Gareth Berg (Hampshire), Joe Denly (Kent), Adam Rossington (Northamptonshire), Ollie Wilkin (released)
Nottinghamshire
Overseas players: Veron Philander (South Africa), Ben Hilfenhaus (Australia), Darren Sammy (West Indies, T20), Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe).
Ins: Will Gidman (Gloucestershire), Greg Smith (Leicestershire), Jake Libby (Academy)
Outs: Phil Jacques, Sam Kelsall (released), Ajmal Shahzad (Sussex), Andre Adams (Hampshire)
Somerset
Overseas players: Abdur Rehman (Pakistan), Tom Cooper (Australia), Corey Anderson (New Zealand, T20), Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan, T20).
Ins: Tim Groenewald (Derbyshire), Jim Allenby (Glamorgan).
Out: Steve Kirby (retired), James Burke (Surrey), Nick Compton (Middlesex), Craig Meschede (Glamorgan, loan)
Warwickshire Overseas players:
Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire)
Out: Jim Troughton (retired)
Worcestershire
Overseas players: Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan), Colin Munro (New Zealand, T20) Ins: Alex Gidman (Gloucestershire). Out: Nick Harrison, Graeme Cessford, Matt Pardoe (all released)
Jim Allenby has linked up with his old Glamorgan coach, Matt Maynard, at Somerset and should relish the challenge of First Division cricket
Yorkshire
Overseas players: Aaron Finch (Australia), Glenn Maxwell (Australia, T20), Younus Khan (Pakistan), Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Out: Azeem Rafiq, Oliver Robinson (both released).
Hove&Away • 25
SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED This year’s Sussex Academy is the smallest for years with only seven players, but all have huge potential : Leo Cammish , Izzy Collis , Daniel Doram , George Garton Tom Haines , Jonty Jenner and Phil Salt Sussex have announced their Academy intake for the 2015 season. Five players have retained their places for a further year, whilst there are two players new to the setup, which is a combined programme between the ECB and Sussex themselves. It is the smallest group of Academy players that Sussex have had for a number of years. Leo Cammish, Izzy Collis, George Garton, Tom Haines and Phil Salt have all retained their places from last season’s programme, whilst Daniel Doram and Jonty Jenner have both been selected for the first time. The Academy players are selected following a strenuous audition programme as well as the tour to Sri Lanka earlier this year, in which the travelling squad put together a string of impressive performances against often higher-graded opposition. All of the players have shown that they could absorb new information and alter their techniques in the appropriate areas, whilst achieving the goals set for them and earning their one-year place on the programme.
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They have shown good evidence that they can portray the Sussex values which are, of course, a crucial part of the Academy. Of the new players selected, Doram is an orthodox left-arm spinner who has already featured in both first-class and List A cricket for the Netherlands despite only recently turning 17. He has played for them in every age group from Under-15s upwards and has shown huge potential. Jenner has been part of the Sussex setup for the past three seasons having joined via the county’s link with the Channel Islands. The 17 year-old has represented Jersey in the ICC World Cricket League and the right-handed batsman is also rated as an excellent fielder. Of the existing group of players in the Academy, wicketkeeper-batsman Cammish struck a fantastic unbeaten century on the tour of Sri Lanka, whilst Collis helped Sussex Under-17s team to the County Championship title for the second year in a row in 2014. Garton is a 17-year old left-arm seamer who made a string of encouraging 2nd XI performances last season, and 16 year-old Haines is the youngest of the
crop, with the left-handed batsman having made his debut in 2014 after some impressive performances in the County Age Group squads. He was selected in the England Under-17s squad to tour the UAE and play Pakistan in February. Batsman Salt, 18, smashed an incredible unbeaten 200 from 129 balls for the Sussex Development XI last season, following a knock of 147 not out earlier in the campaign. Sussex’s Cricket Performance Manager and Academy Director Keith Greenfield said: “We’re hugely excited by the group we have together and are very much looking forward to the programme progressing. “We’re looking forward to continuing the hard work with all of those players and we welcome two more hugely exciting prospects in Daniel and Jonty. “All of these players have the potential to go on to play first-class cricket or, in Izzy’s case, for England. We hope that the bulk of them will begin to make a huge difference in 2nd XI cricket this season.”