CC v Northants at Arundel, 22 - 25 June

Chris Adams?

JB - you've been put in overall charge. What are you going to do?

Assuming that the outfield has drained sufficiently well to allow play today and tomorrow, what are the prospects for Sussex from this point on? Northants are not strong in batting and there have been several occasions this year where wickets have fallen rapidly after a strong start. Moreover they are without Libby, Kleinveldt and Crook in this match, all of whom have averaged over 40. A couple of wickets early might provoke a collapse and a lead of only 40 runs or so. Thereafter it would be a chance for Sussex to bat convincingly the second time and set a target for the fourth innings. All of that assumes that the wicket is unaffected by any "sweating" as Mark Davis put it.

To do that would require some sustained effort and involvement from everyone. A small incident from Wednesday evening perhaps shows what is lacking. Robinson and Magoffin were bowling well against Newton and Duckett, with the latter as usual looking for scoring opportunities, chiefly from clubbing to leg. Whittingham was fielding at long leg, a few feet in from the boundary when Robinson bowled one to a slightly fuller length causing Duckett's shot to mistime over the head of where any gully might have been posted. Despite cries of catch it, Whittingham didn't seem to realise he had a chance to run in and dive and the ball bounced harmlessly about 10 feet in front of him, where he picked up smartly on the rebound and threw in. Only a run lost, but a big chance of an early breakthrough missed. It wouldn't have been easy but that kind of fielding apprehension - sizing up the situation immediately and making that extra effort - is one of the signs that mark out the high achievers from the also rans. Sussex have plenty of players of ability, and Whittingham is a good prospect as a bowler, but too often they let themselves down through not getting the simple things right.

Its just possible this match could be saved and won , and in fact to save it from here Sussex would really have to go on and win it , but it will have taken a hell of a team-talk and a lot of positive attitudes to turn this around.

Fourth time in seven CC games that Sussex has conceded 400 in the first innings.

And just the one bowling point. Sussex has the fewest bowling pts this season of all 18 counties bar Hampshire (who seem to have lost just about their entire attack to injuries; perhaps we could lend Briggs back to them...)

Sussex cannot blame all  their bowling woes  on the loss of Hobden.  Tragic though it was, I do wonder how long can the club's official mourning period go on? It's surely time to replace the RIP banners on the club's Twitter and Faceook accounts with something a little more upbeat?

I don't wish to sound callous but it is six months now and it is is danger of all getting a bit Queen Victoria and Prince Albert...

Northants look like they are making a big mistake batting on. Weather set to be wet from 1300 tomorrow. Not much consolation for Sussex fans. How we can be dire as consistently as this is really quite extraordinary. Is Davis way out of depth?

Are we taking the positives from this?

Sussex have the fewest batting points too ( bar Hants ) 178 ao is a woeful batting performance, nothing for the bowlers to defend. At least the bowlers got us one point!