Sussex v Kent T20 Hove July 11

Kent name a 13 man squad: Rob Key (c), Adam Ball, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Sam Billings (w), Alex Blake, Mitch Claydon, Fabian Cowdrey, Charlie Hartley, Ben Harmison, Sam Northeast, Adam Riley, Darren Stevens, James Tredwell

No Doug Bollinger, who after a promising start has turned out to be an injury-prone signing and misses his sixth match of the season. Without him there is no venom in the attack, although Kent will be stronger in the field where his efforts make Monty Panesar resemble Jonty Rhodes.

It will be interesting to see if both off-spinners play as Riley has been left out of a few T20 games recently and Tredwell's spin twin could be the unorthodox left-arm stuff of Cowdrey...

Despite being skittled by Sussex at Canterbury for 114 in the first fixture, Kent's batting is much their stronger suit in this competition: the top six have all scored half-centuries in this year's T20 Blast and I read somewhere that their bowlers have conceded more runs per over than any other side in the group.

Both sides are in poor form (Kent one win in their last eight games, Sussex two wins in their last eight) which makes it unusually hard to predict how this one might go. One stand-out performance by Wright or Jordan, or Key or Stevens, will probably be enough to settle the outcome.

Is it not raining in Hove, then?

Is it still raining in Hove? 30 miles away in the Weald, it has hardly stopped for the last two days; but I was hoping we were on the edge of the rain belt and Hove was fine. Sussex twitter feed claimed a few hours ago that it was dry and "looks fine for this evening" (followed by the exclamation mark that seems to have taken the place of the full stop in everything the club tweets). But maxh seems to be suggesting diffferently. Can someone tell us definitively if it is raining or not down there? If there is any doubt I'm thinking I might now stay home and if the game goes ahead watch it on Sky Sports...

Very naughty comment on the Kent messageboard, btw, asking "Anyone know which two Sussex players are playing for us this time?"

Thanks, ricky. In view of your damp tidings, I think Sussex has just lost a spectator and Sky Sports has gained a viewer this evening...

Me too!

The club has been similarly disingenuous in the past, when it comes to the weather. This is where marketing outweighs morality, and direct honesty towards customers is thought to be naive.

There was the occasion a couple of seasons ago, when the spring rains ruined the first part of the season. In the middle of the wettest spell since time began, and with the outfield soaking wet, someone dragged Michael Yardy out to the middle of the ground at a point when there was some blue sky around. The resultant picture was posted on the club's website the day before a match, with the assertion that "the sun's out" - come to the match tomorrow! Needless to say, rain prevented any play the following day. Does anyone else remember this? 

Bear in mind that the marketing department treats us as punters (or 'customers' at best) - not as club members. On that basis, I now assume I'm being told the truth, but not necessarily the whole truth. Caveat emptor, I'm afraid.

Much better from Sussex twitter: "It's been raining after lunchtime at Hove but hopefully we've seen the last of it now, forecast still looks okay for later on!"

Honesty and optimism makes for a good combination.