CC v Worcs at Hove 12th-15th Sept 2022.

After the euphoria and success of the Royal London Cup campaign and the credit rightly given to the team, players and coaches we return to the County Championship and play like a bunch of village cricketers. Yes harsh, but its needs saying.

Devoid of Pujara and yes I accept we had an hour and a half of the toughest conditions on the first morning, we post a well below par score.

But that was merely the starter to the main course. We have struggled all season with our bowling attack, but we have really excelled ourselves in this match.

Carson aside - why did he not bowl today? was it due to the frustration he showed towards Haines captaincy? - and Currie's opening spell that was good - why didn't he get the new ball on either occasion? - the bowling has been shambolic.

We have had many players make positive strides forward this season, but Crocombe is starting to go backwards. Fifteen wickets at over 50 apiece and a strike rate of 85.5 should be better. Compare those figures to Currie's, who couldn't get a sniff of first eleven action for most of the season.

It's early days and a small sample size, but Ashraf looks a poor signing. We have both Garton and Hudson-Prentice. Does Ashraf offer anything different? If I described his performance as average in this match, it would be generous.

I appreciate it's difficult securing an overseas, particularly one available for the whole season, but we need a strike bowler in the mould of Robinson, Archer, Magoffin, Anyon, Rana Navid capable of tearing through the opposition's batting and getting 50 to 60 wickets a season.

The Ashraf signing, bearing in mind it has been made now to inform a view as to signing him next season smacks of one with as much or even more of an eye on our white ball aspirations.

Enough, for once starting putting the Championship at least on a level footing and sign a proper nasty horrible pace bowler who is going to rip through the opposition and start winning us games.

While I am on a roll, Haines is not a captain. Was it a coincidence he didn't captain the 50 over side in the recent successful campaign? Take it off of him and let him get back to focus on his batting.

Carter another dolly dropped this afternoon, not for the first time this season. Not to mention the two he has held in the match were far from convincing. He looked as though he was improving, then along came the Royal London Cup, the gloves went to Alsop, he was discarded and now we appear back to square one. Either give him the gloves, back him, let Sarah Taylor work her magic or play him as a batter and give the job to someone else.

Just when you believe the club is finally moving forward a harsh reminder we still have some way to go. I still believe we have the ingredients of a good team, but the coaching staff and management really seem to be completely clueless at times.

A tough ten overs tonight. Time to show some backbone and make amends for three days of pretty poor cricket.

Hopefully, the coaches have read the riot act to the players and once they have finished with them, they take a long hard look at their part in what has unfolded.

Looking on the bright side, big ton tomorrow for Orr saves the game. I'd bet Andrew & Greenfield's lives on it.

Other than myself Steve? Adams or Flower. Maybe Alec?

Devon, you make some good points.
There have been improvements, however Salisbury and Kirtley have to stand down.
All three formats have included so many disjointed decisions. Not fair on the core team of players.
Good to have Pujara on board, as he scores lots of runs.
Keep backing the lads, and unless Sussex hack them off, I honestly believe in a couple of years time we should compete in all formats.

I deliberately avoided mentioning the weakened opposition Liquid as I didn't want to detract from our much improved performances.

You are right, I was at Taunton for the Somerset game and the home supporters didn't recognise some of their own players. Whilst some teams were decimated, Somerset, Surrey, Durham others were less so and we performed admirably against Warwickshire and those perennial bottlers Middlesex.

Despite the weakened opposition undeniably being a factor, we won three times as many games this season compared to last when opponents were equally if not more so weakened as fewer overseas played the dreaded hundred because of Covid and so there was even a greater pull on the domestic pool.

My view, you my disagree, is that we have to acknowledge that there has clearly been some improvement in both individual performances and results.

How much of this is down to the development of the team and players or good judgement by the coaching staff and how much down to the quality of opposition and coaching staff last gasp desperate gambles paying off is difficult to determine and open to debate.

As for Somerset's complaints about losing their players, whilst they have my sympathies, until the dreaded hundred is consigned to the scap heap, no matter how you schedule the domestic calendar counties will continue to be decimated no matter what fixtures are scheduled for that August period. We may ourselves start to suffer as the likes of Orr, Haines and Alsop continue to score big runs and the franchises come calling.

As for the weather, it would be interesting to hear from anyone at the ground on the first morning. Did conditions rapidly change or did our skipper get it horribly wrong? Either way, five down at lunch on the first day and you rarely come away with a decent result. If we get anything out of this match, ironically we will have the weather to thank.

Tom Alsop is doing his best to save this game but keeps losing partners regularly. Another almost chanceless 100, his 4th of the season.

He’s my championship player of the year and a very bright spark in an another-wise dismal campaign. (That doesn’t of course include Pujara) 

Alsop and Pujara outstanding signings this season. Perhaps, the best in many years. 
Who gets the credit. Greenfield or Andrew?

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO53058

At least, Sussex won't be winning the Championship wooden spoon this season.
Some might say, that is progress. 

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/county-championship-division-two/table