CC v Warwicks, Horsham 21-24 July

I didn't know about the BBC/Mail spat. But I guess it's presence on your list  explains why for the first time in the match you didn't come and say hello to us today in the cheap seats in the full glare of the sun , s&f - you spent all day skulking in the shade of the  press tent!

It was a day of much more than a few moments, of course,  because the cricket was gripping from start to finish. But at least you have a comprehensive list of moments; every media report is  going to concentrate solely on your moment  # 1. Nobody bergrudged Trott his hundred; but do not believe any report that claims he was "back to his best" or  "back to his old self".

This innings in no way compared to the master class of the 176 he scored at Hove two seasons ago. On that occasion I don't recall him giving a chance, and  there were only half a dozen balls in a seven or eight hour marathon  when the ball didn't come off the middle of the bat. This innings was fighting and full of character; but he had more than his share of luck and good fortune and if he had been required to up his scoring rate, I think he would have struggled.

I hope everyone sees Trott's  innings as a mile-post along the path to recovery, rather than a case of reaching his final destination. From his comments after close of play, Trott is now sensible enough to see it that way after his ill-advised and hubristic interviews with Sky Sports and Cricinfo's Dobell at the start of the season.

The Sussex catching in the morning session was the worst I have ever seen - but then if  somone had  told you  at the beginning of June that by late July the slip cordon would consist of Cachopa, Tredwell and Piolet you would have questioned their sanity.  Brown has kept as poorly in this match as Prior did in the Test - a deep irony  after he was awarded a richly deserved county cap before the start of play on day one.

Away from the 'Trott is back' circus, Sussex's batting this evening was hugely enterprising. Interesting comment from s&f about Joyce's hamstring; late in their century partnership Cachopa called him for a single that was easily on, but Joyce was back on his heels at the non-striker's end, was very slow out of the blocks and was almost run out.

It was an extremely rare  single in Cachopa's 138 runs in the match  - an incredible 118 of which  were scored in boundaries. His six off Patel into the tennis courts this evening was another 'moment of the day' (as was the athleticism of the lad who risked life and limb by climbing over the locked court's  ten foot high fence  to retrieve the ball!) His dismissal was disappointing , trying to run Rankin down to third man with an angled bat and the ball grazing his off stump. But this lad can really bat and has already left Machan and Finch (not to mention RHB) trailing in his wake.

 He's not just hungry for runs, but ravenous for them; he was so annoyed at getting out that like Trott he didn't even raise his bat, let alone remove his helmet, to acknowledge the very warm applause as he walked back to the pavilion. His f/c record is  tremendous - he has 15 scores of more than 50 (five of them hundreds) in 22 f/c matches at an average of 52.  After Robinson's last mid-season poker gamble (Zaidi) led to a folded hand, I'd say this one looks likes  a winning full flush.

I was told today that his Sussex deal means he is seen as having officially pledged himself to England qualification  like Robson,  and if he wants to return to play in NZ  this winter, he will now have to do so as an overseas player.

Sussex have looked good in this match (apart from the abysmal catching). The shell-shocked mental fraility we saw after the match-fixing scandal plunged the club into such disgrace, has been banished - and I think a lot of that is down to the arrival in the dressing room of two sturdy, outside characters in Tredwell  and Cachopa.

Thanks for a good report, borderman - of course, I wish I'd been able to come yesterday and will doubtless kick myself later today, but look forward to hearing all about it.

Re Cachopa and your point above, I wonder where the cause and effect comes in with his having been omitted earlier from the New Zealand A tour to England. Was his intention made clear to the NZ selectors and they decided not to include him, either because they thought he would succeed and it was pointless to play him, or because they were annoyed at his attitude? The alternative is that they had made it clear he wouldn't be on the tour and he therefore decided to say, "to hell with you, I'll go somewhere where I am more likely to be appreciated". It certainly speaks volumes for his determination to succeed, which should be very good news for Sussex as well as for his future career.

Two early wickets this morning and now we have to rebuild. Given that the equation was to bat Warwickshire out of the game first, our tactics were a little odd last night. I saw Robbo come around to fetch Jordan from the press tent to tell him he was in next, in front of Luke Wright. Then almost immediately Joyce and Cachopa who were going well, got out to tame shots. If we wanted to up the tempo, why Chris ahead of Luke? It seems we gave them an unnecessary opportunity to get back in the game

Well maybe, but odd then that Luke should be sent in moments later Sometimes these little things upset the rhythm, and we were going well. 

Porterfield out second ball - lbw to CJ

Warks 7 for 2 !!

CJ gets Trott caught behind - Warks 9 for 3

Numbers are such silly things: Tredwell in 4 games has taken 8 wickets for Sussex at over 50 runs apiece, seemingly far worse than those returned by Panesar when Monty was being so much reviled for "bowling like a drain" at this time a year ago, before Shooosh and the warm jets. And yet...in those 4 games Sussex have turned the tide, moving from the apathetic slide to the bottom to the first glimmers of hope, and now the likelihood of beating Warwickshire, moving into 5th place safe, except for bizarre misfortune and incompetence, from relgation and with a prospect of a strong finish to the season. Throughout this period Tredwell has bowled long containing spells, spun the ball whenever the pitch has offered anything, used his considerable experience to unsettle and deceive, and as a bonus, has batted and fielded with more than competence.

How nice it would be if Tredwell were younger, born in Sussex, were on the permanent staff. Some things we can't change, but we can, and should, recognise exigency and above all, act in our own best interests. Only Robinson - and presumably Joyce, who we are told, always picks the side - know why Beer has never been given a long run, but we have to assume that it isn't going to happen for him now, not at Sussex at least. In that case we clearly do need someone with the ability to bowl dry when the wicket is unhelpful, to harry and outwit seasoned county players in critical matches and where the wicket gives some assistance,and to guarantee his place with all-round skills. Someone like Tredwell.