CC v Glamorgan at Hove 18-21st May 2023

We need cover otherwise you’d be asking the same 4/5 bowlers to play every single game.

Having spent an enjoyable two days at Hove, I left Friday evening with the view that not even we could fail to press home such an overwhelming advantage. The only question is whether we would win by an innings or need to knock off a nominal amount second time around to secure the win.

First off, well played Glamorgan even they must have thought game over after the conclusion of both first innings. However, another disappointing result. It feels like a loss rather than a draw. If it were a football match, we were 4-0 up at half-time and the opposition are down to ten players. We then miss a penalty, they score four to bring the scores level and we hang on by clearing one off the line in stoppage time.

Yes, batting got easier, yes they had Labuschagne, yes they were never going to roll over as easy second time around and yes we lost Robinson. But good sides find a way. Would Essex, Surrey, Lancashire, Warwickshire have failed in similar circumstances? Not a chance and yet it is this calibre of opposition we are striving to compete against in Division One.

Farbrace has done so much that is good since taking over the reins and is a significant upgrade on the previous incumbent. He must take some responsibility though for taking the gamble to go into a match with just three seamers (let us not kid ourselves, Haines is a part-timer nothing more), especially when overall control of the spearhead of that attack doesn't sit with him and is set out in an ECB contract.

Having said that, having the opposition eight down at lunch on the first day, squandering a 358 run first innings lead and failing to bowl Glamorgan out for less than 737 in over 200 overs with three new balls in over six sessions is inexcusable with or without Ollie Robinson.

Not wishing to steal Squarepoint’s thunder, but I to thought Karvelas bowled well and was perhaps unlucky not to get more wickets in the second innings. Haines did what Haines does; hold up one end without ever likely to pose any real problems to the batters. I am a big fan of Hudson-Prentice, but for some reason he decided to deliver probably his worst bowling display in a Sussex shirt (going at 9 an over at one point!!). Carson and Coles bowled far too many loose deliveries. If you can’t get a wicket, make it difficult for them to score. Neither they nor H-P did with regular and frequent boundary balls. Carson may be a great prospect, but a return of two wickets (one of them down to Carter’s initiative) for 216 runs in 54 overs is nowhere near what is required from your front line spinner.

The worry is other than McAndrew, we have very little waiting in the wings. Currie would be my choice, but for some reason couldn’t even make the squad this game. Was he injured? Crocombe still learning the game and needs time. Hunt nowhere near good enough based on what we have seen so far this season and Adkins even less so. Garton miles from his best given his recent injury and fitness issues. Finn, all I will say is Claydon and Meaker and leave it there.

I can already hear the protests, but I see Leicestershire have brought in Josh Davey on loan from Somerset. A good experienced proven domestic player with a first class average of under 23 and a strike rate of 48. Dare I suggest (Currie possibly aside) better than any of our aforementioned support cast?

I will also point out, whilst both were difficult chances, dropping Carlson (who always seems to score heavily against us) on 3 and 21 and seeing him go onto 192 has to be another missed opportunity in this match.

Our bowling attack second time around was Karvelas aside toothless and the wickets we took today were down to errors by the batters as opposed to good bowling. Add to this some strange tactics, taking the third new ball three overs late whilst Coles was bowling and offering easy singles when we just needed wickets and the batters weren’t even trying to manage who had strike showed further naivety.

Unlike others I don’t necessarily subscribe to the inclusion of Smith over McAndrew being a key factor in our failure to win recent matches. In this match (as in his first) he played a part in a key partnership, which if he had not our first innings lead would have most likely been considerably less. There is just no excuse, depleted attack or not that you should not find some way of winning form the position we found ourselves in after the half way stage.

On a more positive, after 6 matches almost half the season, we are second in the table unbeaten and having amassed a high number of bonus points. But for the weather and a slow over rate, we could well have been comfortably top. So there is still plenty to be optimistic about. Durham are the team to catch and Glamorgan and Worcestershire look our closest rivals. We have certainly improved on last year and are clearly a team that will be difficult to beat, but without much improved bowling performances in our remaining fixtures we run the risk of further opportunities to secure the victories we need slipping through our fingers.

Farbrace might consider a loan signing. Look at
Virdi for my lot. Taking loads of wickets in the 2s
but don’t even get in the 14 man squad!

When we get Curran back from the IPL someone like
Gus Atkinson might not get a game. He would do a
great job for you lot.

Paul Farbrace attempts to make sense of the Glamorgan match. "We are making good progress,
but we can't finish off games. We aren't quite good enough."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6yTahAg9LM&t=5s

We need a quality opening bowler from the moment McAndrew leaves at the end of June.

How good is the cover? We need quality rather than quantity.