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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 14, 2018 9:47:36 GMT
An interesting tweet yesterday from Argus sports writer, Brian Owen, that once again opens up the sores of Sussex supporters over the strength of the side to compete for a promotional spot next season.
Brian Owen
Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, David Wiese, Luke Wright and Laurie Evans have entered next week's IPL auction. Selection would take them away from @sussexccc for opening weeks of the season. Jofra Archer is already confirmed for IPL (as is Rashid Khan).
This led to various responses including one from a David Trenner:
What odds they will all be sitting on the benches around India while @sussexccc drops out of the promotion race? Why do we let them put self before county??
And another from Warren Tarling:
Can only see Chris Jordan being picked up from those names. Even then he will be a backup.
What will be interesting is to see which of the Sussex players are picked up as I disagree with Tarling.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 14, 2018 9:52:37 GMT
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 18, 2018 9:04:04 GMT
Rob Johnston of Cricbuzz interviews the other Sussex CCC enigma - Tymal Mills - a man whom you feel sympathetic and irritation towards in equal measure. Unlike Will Beer, Mills was one of Mark Robinson's "gambles" when he brought him to Hove. Since then we have seen the best and worst of the cricketer. It quickly became obvious that the gamble hadn't paid off when intense medical procedures made it clear that Mills' narrow curvature of the spine was not up for Championship scrutiny and he would remain only a T20 player for the South Coast Club.  Even so, Sussex showed loyalty to the man with such a unique physical complaint that cricket was, perhaps, the worst profession he could have chosen, although the Club are not immune to such generosity after backing Lewis Hatchett. The best way to describe Tymal Mills: He is a Formula 1 racing car. When the cricketer fires and all cylinders are in synch, he is one of the most exciting seamers in the world. When the petrol becomes mixed with salt, the engine collapses into a heap of regular misfiring and injury. Back in 2016, Mills got lucky. Our show-pony loves the limelight and when the SKY Sports cameras were at Hove to cover a T20 game against Somerset in June 2016, they saw one of the best wickets you'll ever see. Mills bowling the great Chris Gayle with a superb 93mph yorker. This piece of video was social media-ised around the world. It was impressive footage and before you could say 'Kohli' the IPL bigwigs came knocking on Mills Hove flat door. What followed was staggering. A one-year £1.4m deal with The Royal Challengers. Sadly, it all went a bit pear-shaped for Mills after landing in India and since then he has suffered a series of frustrating set-backs. www.dailymotion.com/video/x5cxjfvJourno Rob Johnston brings us up to date with the Mills soap opera where a classic philosophical phrase is helping the seamer cope with his ups and downs. www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/105639/after-highs-and-lows-tymal-mills-enters-que-sera-sera-mod |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 19, 2018 18:52:06 GMT
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 19, 2018 20:40:38 GMT
Just as the Sussex Cricket Academy have their own ground at Blackstone, so now the Sussex Women's team have been given their own venue at the Sir Rod Aldridge Cricket Centre. The Press Release reads: Sir Rod Aldridge OBE, Founder & Chairman of the Aldridge Foundation, sponsors of Sussex Women, as well as the county’s youth pathway, added: “We are delighted by the news that all the home fixtures for the Sussex Women’s team this coming season will be played at the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy.
“The facilities which the Academy now has at its Cricket Centre, which also houses our Aldridge Cricket Academy, are part of exciting plans we have through working in partnership with Sussex Cricket to develop talented cricketers capable of competing at the highest level in the game. I wish Georgia [Adams, Sussex Women captain] and the team all the best for the season.” sussexcricket.co.uk/news/sussex-women-play-all-home-matches-sir-rod-aldridge-cricket-centre-2019 |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 19, 2018 20:44:39 GMT
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 21, 2018 11:02:28 GMT
Christmas is upon us - once more - and amidst all the political turmoil what a wonderful excuse to forget the country's problems and enjoy, the best we can, another Xmas and New Year with family, loved ones, friends and fellow Sussex CCC supporters. As always, thank you to the readership of the Wicket Cricket Column for all your support during the year, to those who posted and to those who lurked. As ever, it is an honour and privilege writing for you, particularly during a season when under the leadership of Jason Gillespie, the Club began to show the promise we had hoped for. It is that time of year when season highlights come to the fore and recently someone asked me for mine. Without doubt it was watching the Finals Day T20 semi-final match against Somerset when Wright thrashed 92 and Wiese 52. I, alongside around 100 other Sussex supporters, watched the game in the Boundary Rooms on an assortment of TVs. I was too miffed to even contemplate acquiring a ticket for Edgbaston after the disgraceful behaviour of the ECB and their ticket allocation and prices for the day. What a great match. What a great day even though we lost the Final. Please enjoy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpL0ywMg_xUSupporters celebrate Sussex reaching the T20 Final  www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO43038 |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 21, 2018 12:13:04 GMT
Fantastic news! Stiaan the Man is set a return to the South Coast after a 7 month injury and lay-off. The initial concerns over an early cricketing demise and a move into professional umpiring appears unproven. Van Zyl says, “I can’t wait to see the guys and be on the field with them again... I am going to be back where I want to be and that’s on the cricket field with the Sharks.”  It appears his forced lay-off has paid off, although sensible management of his knee injury is important. “Game time is game time and I’ll being doing my thing on the field. Between games I just need to be very clever with my workloads. I’m normally always busy if I’m not playing cricket, running a 5k or a 10k or walking my 18 holes of golf, but on days off now I might have to say ‘listen, take it easy and go down to the beach or something, just chill a bit’.” One hopes that his injury is not one of those demoralising niggles that keeps returning. A slight twist of the knee, an awkward fall in the field, a knock from a ball... the reality is that Stiaan's injury may remain vulnerable during the rest of his career. Even so, careful management is the key and there have been plenty of cricketers with potential career-ending injuries who have come out the other side and carried on for a long and fruitful playing time. It will be great to see Stiaan back in a Sussex shirt next season. His return could not be more provident and needed. sussexcricket.co.uk/news/stiaan-van-zyl-i-cant-wait-be-back-sussex-shirt |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 21, 2018 16:02:50 GMT
What a dichotomy the ECB face. Ben Stokes, "a leader of men", one of England's most exciting all-rounders since Sir Ian Botham, who is able to win games single-handedly... But after his recent annus horribilis, how does the ECB market him? The answer is clear. "Ben Stokes is a role model" says the Board's CEO, Tom Harrison. Ummm... www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cricket/46621802 |
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Post by flashblade on Dec 21, 2018 17:27:12 GMT
What a dichotomy the ECB face. Ben Stokes, "a leader of men", one of England's most exciting all-rounders since Sir Ian Botham, who is able to win games single-handedly... But after his recent annus horribilis, how does the ECB market him? The answer is clear. "Ben Stokes is a role model" says the Board's CEO, Tom Harrison. Ummm... www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cricket/46621802Without wishing to split hairs, Harrison actually said that Stokes "can be a role model" - meaning, I think, that he has the capability/opportunity to be a role model, and it's up to him to become one. I wouldn't disagree with this sentiment. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 23, 2018 13:13:02 GMT
Fb,
I take your point but the "is" can also be interpreted as "The potential" to be a role model. On reflection I agree with Harrison's view.
We know Stokes sees the red mist and it's rumoured that his father is similarly inclined and hence, perhaps, the behaviour. Yet, his
Welsh nightclub outrage was due to protecting two young gay men from two homophobes. Rather a dilemma for the establishment.
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Post by joe on Dec 23, 2018 16:22:51 GMT
Fb, I take your point but the "is" can also be interpreted as "The potential" to be a role model. On reflection I agree with Harrison's view. We know Stokes sees the red mist and it's rumoured that his father is similarly inclined and hence, perhaps, the behaviour. Yet, his Welsh nightclub outrage was due to protecting two young gay men from two homophobes. Rather a dilemma for the establishment. When did Bristol move to Wales? |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 23, 2018 21:10:10 GMT
Joe, Good point, the assault occurred in Bristol and not Cardiff. Meanwhile, I am feeling sympathetic for Tymal Mills after yet another injury, this time a pulled hamstring, has ruled him out of the BBL. Mills is "beyond gutted" by this latest set back. He was to play for the Hobart Hurricanes. Mills tweets, "Arrived out here in probably the best shape of my career so to go down before the tournament had begun is so disappointing." What can one say? This hamstring injury is a re-occurring one. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/46666103PS: The Hurricanes gained their second victory of the tournament with Archer playing a big role in the win, taking an excellent 3-25
from his four overs.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 28, 2018 12:04:44 GMT
An absolute stonking year for Laurie Evans ends with the ultimate spectacular. His marriage. It appears Laurie's younger brother uses part of the best man speech as an eulogy to James Blunt!  |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Dec 28, 2018 20:29:40 GMT
Tomorrow commemorates the 6th Anniversary of Tony Greig's passing. Controversial, fearless and pioneering, he may not have pleased
the establishment, but Greig remains one of Sussex's all-time greats.
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