CC v Gloucester at Bristol 20th-23rd Sept

In defence of those of us who optimisticaly tipped Sussex for promotion back in April, if you had told us that Luke Wright would contribute 213 runs to the championship campaign, Machan 249 and Finch just 175, then I think we would have happily settled for sixth place!

Cachopa's 195 runs in 13 maches across the three competitions was sadly more predictable...

Serious question. When a batsmen like Cachopa is in the middle of such an appalling run of form and has just got a pair as he did in the last match, who is it who takes him into the net and works on technque and confidence with him? Mark Davis? Jon Lewis? The ghost of Ranji? I've absolutely no idea...

Form is temporary??  Surely someone could help him? Is he getting the right help?

Sakande and Rawlings miss out.

At one point there was doubt over Brown who has/had an illness and Cachopa was called up from Hove but he is now playing although he's already had a drink taken out to him.

The explanation for no pink ball trial in this round of matches offered on cricinfo is that both Bristol and Leicester had  issues with their local authorities because playing a four day game at night would exceed  the alloted number of days  per season on which they have permission to use floodlights (which both clubs knew all along, so not sure why those two grounds were ever suggested as trial venues in the first place - someone didn't do their homework).

cricinfo claims that the ECB then asked the clubs to trial the pink ball  at Bristol and/or Grace Road in normal daylight conditions. It appears that in both cases the players sensibly vetoed this idea (and you have to assume they would have vetoed  the day/night option, too,  if the floodlight issue had not already scuppered that idea).

As a result I'd say it is now certain the proposed night-day test v West Indies at Edgbaston next season will be played with a red ball in normal hours. They cannot have a day-night pink ball Test when there has only ever been one first-class match in English cricket played under such conditions  (and that was way back in 2011 and was judged by players and spectators alike to be a colossal failure).

We have had a narrow escape, is seems!

You've gone all Aussie, S&F - surely 97-7 and 201 - 7 !!   

The Sussex season's life is drawing peacefully towards its close and all that is left is between Sussex and Worcestershire either to gain additional bonus points or to force a result against their opponents and finish third behind Kent and Essex. Sussex have 45 overs to gain a theoretical 4 batting points, Worcester could get 3 bowling points from Derbyshire and that would set both sides level before the draw points are awarded. Both Bristol and Worcester should have dry days today, though low cloud will probably curtail the play. Of the two you would have to say that Worcester, equipped with Miguel Cummins, are more likely to get the win than Sussex, but it is good to see that Salt seems to have played with plenty of determination yesterday and restrained his normal attacking inclinations to avoid yet another middle order collapse. Perhaps that is a good sign for him and for Sussex.

Salt is a naturally attacking batsman more suited to white ball cricket. Listening to the commentary yesterday he did have a few wild swings across the line but thankfully is still there at the close which is good for Sussex. The only reason he's in the side is because there's no one else but I think he's shown enough promise in the one day and T20 games to be kept on.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Cachopa will be lucky if their services are required further than the end of the season.