Championship: Season Round-Up
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Back to Square One (Except For “Promising Youngsters”)Disappointment has become a virtue at Sussex CCC during the last decade where Championship supporters’ hopes and dreams have been regularly dashed like rain against a decaying deckchair. During a year when Covid ruled the World, it was surprising that any cricket took place, but thanks to the determination of the ECB who battled a UK government and its proclamation “A Cricket Ball: Vector For Disease”, the season finally began in August behind closed doors, with a shortened and new Championship trophy format (BWT), a postponed 100 tournament, no RLC 50 over, but an intact T20 competition.
When CEO, Rob Andrew, arrived at Hove in early 2017, his pledge was to focus on the youngsters and so it came to be. Cricketers with names supporters had never heard of, were thrown into the deep end. It was an Academy BOGOF even allowing one 16 year-old from Oxfordshire a debut during his summer school holiday. After an initial win against Hampshire, supporters hopes were then flattened by a series of losses, several of them humiliating, leaving Sussex at the bottom of the southern table and clutching the wooden spoon. Coach Jason Gillespie could only watch on, knowing full well the club had little chance of success, especially with no overseas and Covid bound Stiaan van Zyl or Travis Head, so focussed his media interviews more on the youngsters.
For keeping club followers happy is the hardest part of a coach’s job when a team is losing games, and where the increasing influence of social media adds to the pressure. In Gillespie’s case, his knowledge of the county charm school handbook is impressive, never shying from an interview after a loss, always remaining positive, responding to negative tweets on his Twitter, and so the phrase “promising youngsters” becomes an essential distraction when a side is locked in to a “going no-where” cycle.
Irish JackThis attempt to keep supporters optimistic was then dashed again when news of Gillespie’s own departure was announced, even after he had extended his contract the previous year. In fairness, his decision was based around the pandemic, fed up with self-isolation after travelling each time from another country to Australia and, above all, concerns for his family. Also, can you blame him, after being offered a plum job located close to home, coaching his State side, providing a step up towards the ultimate goal of leading the National team.
I backtrack: In the cold light of day, relying on the club Academy and youngsters to form a trophy-winning side is a big gamble. Let recent examples prevail.
Matt Machan (career ending injury), Matthew Hobden (tragedy), Jofra Archer (exceptional/permanent England call up), Harry Finch (let go), Fynn Hudson-Prentice (let go), Abi Sakande (left), Michael Burgess (left), Lewis Hatchett (career-ending injury), Callum Jackson (left), Stuart Whittingham (left), and now there is a rumour that seamer Will Sheffield may depart after a long-term knee injury.
So, who has traversed all the hurdles and become a regular team member? Phil Salt, George Garton and Delray Rawlins. So, it is 3 v 10 or a 30% success rate, and this does not include all those who progressed through the Academy from a young age, but never made the final grade. The problem with the phrase “promising youngsters” is that all county clubs with an Academy have such cricketers, otherwise what would be the point of its existence. The chance of a young player making the grade is rather like roulette and placing money on a random number. Injury, girlfriends, partying, loss of interest, too much hard physical work, not forgetting arrested development, see them consistently fall away. Unabated driving ambition is essential too where talent is 10% and blood, sweat and tears 90%.
George Garton - Break-through SeasonYet, Andrew’s decision makes sense in the present Covid environment emphasised after the ECB divulged a £200m loss this year. The future of county cricket now hangs in the balance. For, will various clubs cease to be, if they are not receiving the various annual and much needed Board finances? And while Sussex are one of a very few clubs without debt, battening down the hatches and not taking any financial risk is surely diligent given what might become “a massacre of counties”. The ‘Gang of 12’ could become a reality, after all.
Now, onto those two burning questions: Will Rob Andrew remain at Hove and who will replace Gillespie?
The first difficulty Andrew faces is an uncomfortable one. How come Sussex are going down the penury path by cutting their player squad and not reinvesting in new signings (as of yet), but are going ahead with a £20 million (potential) ground redevelopment? What is more important, a squad of players who potentially could win trophies or a redevelopment of a ground that was already redeveloped some 8 years ago? In the worst case scenario, what happens if you can not sell the 37 apartments when an on-going Covid crisis creates a UK property slump? What occurs if the developer, Roffey Homes, then litigates the club for its share of unpaid construction costs? To repeat, this is the worst case scenario and an extreme outcome, but if Andrew departs and leaves the Club in the mire, especially after the departure of Gillespie, this could become an unpleasant black stain on, up until now, a glittering career. I, for one, hope he stays.
As for a Gillespie replacement, all the chatter on social media and Club forums is, as ever, BRING BACK GRIZZ! BRING BACK ROBBO! And given that Peter Moores has stated on record he would like to coach Sussex again as a career swansong, BRING BACK MOORESY!
Ollie - another Excellent Season and an England Call-UpUnfortunately, Rob Andrew was still ensconced with professional rugby when such names were in their pomp. Given the expected club penury do not be surprised if Jason Swift is promoted to Head Coach. An easy, simple and, above all, low-cost decision. He knows the players and gets on with Director of Cricket (DOC), Keith Greenfield.
Which then poses another question. At times of financial crisis, does the club require a DOC? The position was originally created by Zak Toumazi solely for Mark Robinson to appease his sacking, who then turned it down, before being appointed Head Coach of the England Women’s side. Over and over again, puzzled supporters ask: What exactly is Greenfield’s role? Therefore, in times of crises what is there to lose than turning to a past which brought unprecedented success for Sussex. The pain of the 10 year drought since and the team’s steady decline, was only emphasised when the Club media produced an excellent series of ‘down memory lane’ videos during the lockdown, reminding us of our amazing ten years at the top.
So what of the newbies this season?
Standout is 19 year-old Irish-born spinner Jack Carson. Educated at Hurst College, he played in four BWT matches taking 15 wickets including a fifer against Surrey. Others who showed promise are seamer Henry Crocombe and batsman Tom Clark. The latter scored 123 runs in 5 matches with a highest score of 65 against Kent. Up the pecking order is opener Tom Haines who still has much to prove, with his second first-class hundred of 117 against Surrey arriving 809 days after his first. Like all youngsters struggling to make a mark, the
Cricketer Magazine summed it up by pointing out, “In six of his eight trips to the crease he has made solid starts, but his highest return was 31 not out. Open up; do the hard work; then give it away.”
The primary positive is George Garton who this season broke through the ranks with a flourish. He is an all-rounded player that Academies dream of developing. Brighton born, another Hurst education, George represents the light that shone through a de-spiriting club season. He has it all: Great fielder, dynamic with the bat, opening and devastating left-arm quick, then add a bubbly and affable personality. What isn’t there to like? Praise must also go to Ollie Robinson (again a stand out for the Club) and Phil Salt for their inclusion in the England set-up, while Jofra Archer is a distant flicker of light on his meteor rise to fame. At least, Chris Jordan occasionally graced Hove with the odd cameo.
Meanwhile, farewells to Danny Briggs who is off to Warwickshire, Laurie Evans who used Sussex to regain his confidence and form before returning to Surrey, and Luke Wells and Harry Finch whose contracts have not been renewed. The present club situation feels like we have gone full circle and returned to 1996.
For, however you dress it up, 2020 was an awfully depressing season made worse by the Covid backdrop. We all thought nothing else could go wrong until news came through last week that Mitch Claydon has been banned from all cricket for nine matches after admitting to using hand sanitiser to tamper with the ball, an offence committed during the Middlesex BWT game on August 23rd.
A Championship season to forget. Roll on 2021.
(More to follow)
