The Wicked Cricket Column

Sussex v Surrey: Thursday Evening: August 3rd: ‘Surrealism Merges with Realism’
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Thursday evening was a hypnagogic experience where surrealism merged with realism, and pinching yourself was a crucial element of proceedings.

Mars Attack



It all began so judiciously. Surrey won the toss and decided to bat in front of a packed house. But as the players invaded the outfield, as if orchestrated by the nature sprites, it downpoured and they scampered back to the safety of the dressing room. Was that when the alchemy began?

Ten minutes later the brief shower disappeared and a cloudy but dry evening commenced. By the mid half of the first innings nothing was amiss. Surrey quickly gained the upper hand, scoring 8 or more runs an over and by the 10th looked set to score a minimum of 160. The early wickets of Finch and Roy heralded hope in a match that many supporters believed Sussex would lose but Henriques and Pope kept the score rolling until Surrey then collapsed to 86-5, thanks mainly to the spinners Beer (2-19) and Briggs (1-33), as if seducing the home side into believing they had a chance. But Pope continued to tease and with Tom Curran at his side picked up the pace; so by the 17th over the London side had reached 140 with a score of 170 on the cards.

'Dr Who' Flower Creatures



Then the alchemy bubbled and burbled.

Mills who delivered his best performance of the season (3-20) helped keep the score down to just 8 runs and a final total of 148. I can’t remember watching Sussex bowl such 3 defensive final overs. There was no Garton to give away easy runs or a Chris Liddle before him. Instead, here was a tight mean bowling machine dispensing no shrift. After 20 overs, not only had Sussex fought back superbly but swung the momentum of the game. The margins in T20 are unforgiving, so it was peachy to see Sussex take control against a foe who have consistently dominated them over the years. And their ensuing batting performance was from another Galaxy.

Chris Nash had tweeted at midday, “I'm saving myself for August!” Was this a jolly retort to a tweet criticising his season’s poor form or did a sixth sense know what was about to happen?

Chris Nash and inner child bag a 60



Agreed, Surrey seamers the Curran Bros as well as Stuart Meaker and Dernbach were rank, offering short balls a plenty but the way in which Nash (64) and his opener Van Zyl (52) dispatched them to all parts was pure theatre. Not only did it rain 6s and 4s but the speed in which they encroached on Surrey’s score made the Mallard steam train seem lethargic; helped by inept fielding no better than that of a primary school side.

It was all over in 13.3 overs as Sussex thrashed 150 at 11.5 runs an over. But had it actually happened or was it some freakish dream?

What we saw was a Sussex side that when firing on all cylinders are not only capable of reaching the QFs but winning the tournament. So, why have they spluttered and coughed, jerked and jolted to the bottom of the Southern League like a Formula 1 racing car with salt in its petrol tank. Who is responsible for this?

Plain Weird



Given last night’s apogee, Sussex could beat anyone in their sleep, so dominating was their performance. As a delighted and much relieved Mark Davis enthused, “This was the most complete performance I’ve seen our team have for a very long time. We were outstanding with the bat. It was strong hitting, not slogging.”

Please, can this not be a one-act sensation where Sussex will travel now to Canterbury and return to their salt-fuelled schizophrenic ways. We may be back in the hunt but Kent must be dispatched with similar contempt.

www.sussexcricket.co.uk/news-1/report-sharks-back-in-the-hunt-after-surrey-win

Amazing what two wins in T20 can do for a side as Twitter portrays the players in fine spirits via their banter.

Leading the charge is Chris Nash (surprising what two good scores can do for someone's confidence) who has been taking the mickey
out of Luke Wright, the latest injury casualty. First, for asking supporters to nominate him for the Porsche of the month award...

Please don't vote for @lukewright204 he has a garage full of porsches !

In fact, Wright then won July's competition, so Nash retorts: I'm saving myself for august!

But Nash hasn't finished with Wright and follows with a gentle aside at his back problem.

Lovely to get 2 from 2, brilliant wins set up by top bowling performances, hope @lukewright204 is nice and fresh! #lazy

Wright retorts: That's the last nice tweet I send for you @chrisnash23 . Got a few runs and now giving it the big one! 🙄😂😉

Nash even has a pop at Laurie Evans: Lovely to see this goat @laurieevans32 waiting for a pick up #clown...  Perhaps, Evans was
picked up by the team bus on the way to Canterbury?



But what truly shows the present high spirits in the Sussex camp is Ben Brown re-opening his Twitter Account. He closed
it down in February 2016 after, I believe, a few unpleasant exchanges with a supporter.

twitter.com/Ben_Brown26

Not surprisingly, Nash has the final word. After the surprising announcement this week that Old Trafford would name a pavilion
after Jimmy Anderson, Owais Shah tweeted:

Gr8 to see old Trafford naming a stand after a current/recent cricket legend...other grounds should perhaps do the same!?
#keepupwiththetimes 

Nash responds: Couldn't agree more, I'm awaiting the toilets at hove to be renamed.

Depends which toilets Chris. Make sure they're not the ones located on the Hove promenade!!   And, please, don't allow
your present scintillating batting form to be flushed down the gunny.

A classic culinary tweet from BBC Radio Sussex commentator, Adrian Harms, this morning.

Adrian Harms

What's not to like about @worcsccc, beautiful ground, @braddersatbbc and @vitu_E and
a daily box of biscuits @bbcsussexsport @sussexccc



Helluva lot better than small rectangular slices of stale madeira cake at tea. Are you
reading this Centerplate? 

PS: I note all the custard creams have disappeared. No surprise they have been
voted as one of the most popular UK biscuits behind the chocolate digestive.

After their crushing victory over Worcestershire within 3 days, the Sussex lads appear to have decided to coach it back home to Hove
this evening and not stay overnight in their Worcester hotel.

Nothing like a celebration and Captain Ben Brown, who only re-opened his Twitter account last week, posted this pic less than hour
ago showing the pleasure of the win as they down some beers. Spot the players.

Ben Brown‏ Twitter

Up the Sharks!! #GOSBTS 



Here is Ben Brown's interview with 'BBC Sussex Sport' after their 9 wicket win.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgI2k8T_P70

SIGNS OF THE TIME
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I was very surprised when I approached the Hove County Ground front gate early this morning, to buy a friend's T20 ticket for tonight's game, to discover a large barrier stopping anyone from entering as well as 10 stewards milling around.



To enter, one has to pass through an aside narrow entrance; sign in your name; and are given a ticket with a specific number, which is then wrapped around your wrist by a steward. You are then checked out when leaving. This is a recent edict from the ECB for every county to comply with, to counteract the fear of terrorist atrocities now sweeping the country. On each home T20 match day, starting early morning, this is what every club must carry out until the end of the tournament.

While, it makes complete sense the ECB are putting the safety of their client first, which must be applauded, it is also disturbing; whilst making the life of a county cricket steward far more difficult. Who is paying for their additional wages - the ECB or the County ground?



After the recent home Middlesex game and the unveiling of three policemen carrying AK-47 Kalashnikov automatic rifles standing by the front gate, I feel this only accentuates any perceived fear that the public may feel; and may even put some people off from attending games. For, as one of the rifle-carrying policeman matter-of-factly told me at the match, "If we could predict terrorist attacks we wouldn't need to be here!" 

Sussex continue to put their supporters through the wringer where making the easy difficult has become a brand. After snatching defeat from the jaws of victory the previous night at 'Lord’s', this was “a must must win” match.

Toby Lawrence and The Baby Face Buskers




Sussex decided to field and the first over from Wiese set the tone for an extraordinary evening where the fast ebbs and flows of a T20 game is why the format is so popular. A wicket with the first ball followed five balls later by a run-out had the crowd on their feet immediately… but what was happening off the field?

The presence of ‘BIMM’ (British Institute of Modern Music) were again apparent as the Baby Face Buskers played a set of covers including Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman. I chatted to an employee of the Brighton Branch, Toby Lawrence, who affirmed: “My role is to find our students paid-work!” The Institute has 4 branches around the country in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Brighton which presently attracts over 2,000 music students. Not so much the elite of the ‘Royal Academy of Music’ but the populist equivalent. Like Media Studies, it is easy to be cynical and ask the question just how many will go on to become professional musicians but for venues like the local Concorde Club and Sussex CCC, here is an easy and varied supply of talent to use on their doorstep.

The Papps get Papped (Reece, Brian, Wayne)



A new trend in outside catering are pizzas fired in real log fire ovens. In fact, they have sprouted up all over the country and a recent addition to the County ground is Oggies, started by Steve Ogg a mere 15 months ago. Q: Do you know what the favourite pizza is? A: 10” Pepperoni. Steve drives all over the UK attending music festivals, weddings, transport rallies etc.. He’s found a niche market. Good luck to him.

Chloe & Steve Ogg



Jodie and Clare - Centerplate catering in the Pavilion



On the field, the Sussex bowlers made a gallant fight-back after Gloucestershire raced ahead at 9 runs an over, to hold them to 138 all out in the 19th. While Archer had a rare off day, his Caribbean mentor, Chris Jordan, was superb (3-17) and Garton (3-35) is showing signs of an improving and canny youngster, thrown in at the deep end due to Mills hamstring injury. A stupendous catch from Van Zyl, changed the tack of the match and with only 139 required to win, surely the Sussex batsmen would canter home?

After a steady start from Nash and Wright, the innings slumped to 83-5 in the 13th over and it was squeaky bum time for supporters. But an unlikely hero in Laurie Evans, whose form had disappeared somewhat in recent weeks, came to the rescue firing 45* in 29 balls and along with his partner David Wiese (20* off 16) steered the Sharks home with 14 balls to spare. In the end an easy victory. What was the sweat all about? 

Onward to another “must must win” at The Oval on Sunday.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO41216