T20 Sussex v Essex (Friday 17th Jun: Start 7pm)

Sussex 150/3 after 12 Essex were 120/3

If ever there was a situation ideal for Delray, then this is it!!

Licence to swing!!

Whatever happens in this last over, well done the batters.

What a great effort by our batters.

I didn't give us a chance of getting anywhere near their total and I don't believe for one minute I was on my own. A score of 233 for 6 and we still end up losing.

Phil was getting ready to eat his hat and I was getting ready to eat my words alongside a big piece of humble pie.

Fine margins in the end. Perhaps our bowlers weren't as bad as it first appeared given the number of runs and boundaries scored by both sides on that pitch?

The difference for me and where we continue to be vulnerable is they were more tactically astute. They selected three spinners, they took pace off and perhaps most importantly they took their rookie seamer out of the attack when his two overs went for fifty. We on the other hand threw ours under the bus and under bowled our spinner.

Ironically, if Alsop had stuck around a couple more overs or Khan had performed to his normally high standard we may still have sneaked over the line. You have to question the impact that all the travel has on the highly in demand overseas. When did he arrive in this country? Is that ideal preparation for top level sport?

Fine margins, but if we want to succeed are the things we need to get right. I don't believe we are as poor as some like to make out at times (even myself due to the utter frustration this team causes me to feel at times) and we do have the nucleas of a decent side.

However, the table doesn't lie and we haven't played consistently well enough or got enough things right tactically or around team selection to warrant a place in the quarter final.

Mathematically we are still in it, but four wins from the next five is a big ask and I would be pleasantly surprised if we can perform to the required level across all the remaining matches to progress further in the Competition.

If we had batted first and got that total, I reckon we would have won. Yep, it’s easy in hindsight.

Oh. That's even worse, the plant pot.

Good effort by the batters indeed but I was looking at the two sides before the game and I just thought, we have much more than them in names. I was fooled because most of those names are done.

Overhaul needed. We already pretty much have the squad thankfully but half of them are forcibly sat on their arses. 

For example, on what planet does Carter after what he's shown not make this side? Did they watch the last 10 minutes of his 180? He is a six hitter, like Orr. And like Orr he's also a mature, smart & sensible player in the longer form and I think that huge positive has worked against him & Orr with Kirtley and his T20 side.