The Wicked Cricket Column

lb,

No, I wasn't able to make it but several posters on the Worcestershire thread did and written an account, which I believe you already
know about.

unofficialsussexccc.freeforums.net/thread/942/worcs-hove-fri-2nd-june?page=3&scrollTo=25248

A partnership knock-on affect for Sussex CCC have helped them find a new sponsor for the club's T20 shirts.



Brighton Company, 'Boundless', originally set up to help Civil Servants and Public Sector workers gain discounts and excellent deals from
holidays to general goods, formed a partnership with Sussex last year, to offer similar enticements for club Members. In fact, they had a
stall at the ECB Forum at Hove last November displaying their products.

'Boundless' have now taken the next step with the club and become this year's T20 shirt sponsor, perhaps, a prime vehicle for any Company
looking to improve their visibility amongst the local populace.

www.sussexcricket.co.uk/news-1/boundless-sussex-strike-sponsorship-deal-for-new-natwest-t20-blast-shirt

Although, a little strangely, the gif montage of the new-looking shirt (see below 4 stories down) has no mention of Boundless. Perhaps, the video
was done before the sponsorship was sealed? Also, it is interesting to see Tymal Mills now replacing Luke Wright as the pin-up player for youngsters
and female supporters.

twitter.com/SussexCCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Sussex’s T20 Blast campaign begins on Sunday 9th July at Arundel, when Glamorgan are the visitors, before the Sharks return to Hove on
Wednesday 12th July, where they welcome South Coast rivals Hampshire.

I learnt today that my criticism of Gary Pleece and his new T20 promo video is not entirely founded.

It appears the club's new Marketing Executive, Sean Heal, may have had an input to the film too. I am told the original idea for the promo was warmer and less cold but Sean could be responsible for its starker and more WE ARE BORG feel.

Sean, welcome to Sussex CCC where resistance is futile. 

Luke Wright wasn't at the promotion day because he was with his wife who has just delivered their third child. 

Yes, so am I. Surely the ads should be aimed at attracting people to the games, and the basic appeal is to have a nice evening with friends, nice food and drink, sun and some exciting cricket. I don't see how the "we are family" thing is going to attract them, it looks a bit odd and doesn't suggest anything about a pleasant summer evening.

I've been attempting to find a cricket link with last night's extraordinary political events and, I believe, I have finally
found it thanks to a tweet from Whincup.

Stuck in the corridor of uncertainty, TheresaMay has broken the golden Boycott rule - run out the other guy,
not yourself... 

As it’s a glorious sunny day with more weekly shine to come, isn’t it time to write a really positive piece about someone who deserves it?

Subject: BBC Radio Broadcaster Adrian Harms
____________________________________________________________



What a lovely guy. You enter the 'Sussex CCC Media Centre' and when he takes a break from the radio mic, Adrian then chats away to fellow journos in the adjacent room, always smiling, always jolly. And he’s not the type who looks at your media pass to ascertain whether you are worth talking to first. He’s welcoming whether you are the building cleaner or a top writer from The Times. And does Adrian love his cake. He must have taken 100s of photos and then tweeted them praising the myriad types of such delectables, counties offer the media for their tea.

twitter.com/AdrianHarms?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Adrian’s a self-confessed sport-a-holic too, like a bag of all sorts, everything from cricket to football, boxing to tennis. His childhood commentary heroes include the greats from John Arlott and Brian Johnson to Bryon Butler and Peter Jones. Anyone who could paint a vivid picture of the sporting field and bring it to life.

Harms 'BBC Radio Surrey' profile states it was always his ambition to work in sport radio - an ambition he achieved in 2001 after entering a BBC talent competition. The subject was about the demise of his local FC, Guildford City. He didn’t win it but enough potential was there for him to be invited to the BBC Studio in Guildford to watch the sports team in action.

Adrian Harms was hooked!



So began his career making cups of tea for the studio commentators. This lead to him reporting on local football matches via his mobile phone. Since then he has come on in leaps and bounds covering every major sporting event from the legendary 2005 Ashes, the World Matchplay at Wentworth, to Show Jumping at Hickstead. If it’s sports-related, Harms your man.

Adrian has also interviewed some of the greats from Andrew Flintoff and Nick Faldo to Frankie Dettori and Andy Murray. In fact, interviewing is Harms greatest strength. His manner and sensitivity, his ability to ask the hard question without sounding probing or rude, his diplomacy skills are lessons to learn. And he’s never one to avoid the difficult question.

An example occurred in 2015 after the Yorkshire game when Sussex were relegated, Harms faced a tough interview with Mark Robinson. The question had to be asked - it needed to be asked. You would not be a journalist of any merit if you didn’t ask. “Mark, are you considering your resignation?” After a palpable pause, Robinson replied curtly, “This is not football, Adrian! Of course I won’t be! I aim to bring Sussex back to Division 1 straight-away!” A few months later, Robinson stepped down after applying for the England Women’s Cricket Coaching job.

Harms says his most embarrassing moment was interviewing the golfer Justin Rose and forgetting to switch the recording equipment on (to Justin's eternal credit he did the whole interview again).



While Harms is a Surrey man through and through and drives a BBC Surrey Van, his attachment to Sussex has grown year on year. In fact, he now covers a majority of the Sussex CCC games, both home and away where his teamwork with John Lees recently at the Saffrons, Eastbourne, was visibly amusing when they did a standing up double act of mobile commentating.

There is also a shrewd business brain attached to Harm’s sunny demeanour as he is a man of various parts.

For example, between June 2010 and April 2012, Adrian had a senior relationship role at the Asset Finance Company, Lombard, where he helped companies with an annual turnover of up to £10m to leverage business from the bank. Previously, he’d worked for ‘Lex Vehicle Leasing’ selling contract hire to fleets, as well as HBOS working for their sales section. Presently, Harms second job is as an Asset Finance Consultant for 'B2B Cashflow Solutions Ltd', working mainly in the SME market advising on all aspects of capital expenditure.

Adrian is happily married with three daughters. Away from sport and finance, for relaxation he loves walking his two dogs, a Golden Retriever and a Westie and going to the theatre (especially musicals).

Meanwhile, I look forward to hearing many more of his interviews with Sussex players. They are always a treat to listen to.