CC v Derbys, Hove, Tues 12th - Friday 15th Sept

Is Davis hamstrung by a board lacking ambition?

I only ask because I didn't see much ambition We seemed happy to confuse the situation with Joyce, rather than go out and replace him
The same with when Philander left, we were told we wouldn't be replacing him and would go without an overseas for the rest of the season They would reconsider if Magoffins injury proved to be long term Well it was, and we didn't
At that point, we were still in contention, but we seemed happy just to drift along

Van Zyl replaced Joyce. Don't confuse lack of budget with lack of ambition. It is not the board's fault if Davis has wasted the playing budget recruiting rubbish.

The 2 Kolpaks and Evans were brought in to improve the squad and push for promotion and silverware but we find ourselves in exactly the same position as we were this time last year EXCEPT we haven't given game time or first XI experience to our younger players. Salt, Rawlings, Whittingham, Garton and Sakande haven't had enough exposure or run of games, we saw what Whittingham can do against Derby if he's given a run. Think how much further ahead they'd be if they'd all had game time. Whittingham and Sakande will be 24 next year they should be regular first team players by now. Obviously I don't mean that they should all play at the same time but the Kolpaks have pushed back their development by a year by taking up the places the younger squad members should have taken. 

Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing but please please let's not make the same mistake next season or these promising young players will look elsewhere ( if they haven't already and who could blame them? ) 

Two and a half years ago if you finished above Sussex in Div 1 you'd be challenging for the title, now Davis thinks giving Northants and Derby a run for their money in Div 2, before losing both games, is progress. The man's delusional - we cannot go on with him and Greenfield, our 'Director of Cricket'.

Your direction can be tracked by your past - constant poor first innings totals, constantly confusing selection and balance. Constantly signing overseas players or other counties' failures and blocking home-grown development. There's our direction.

Bewilderingly, I think we've had at least five overseas players arrive this season, yet at crucial times through the T20 and the end of the CC we've had a space to fill with a legitimate one if required. Very economical, very clever and not at all wasteful or naïve. You can't tell me Davis ain't been backed financially. He's just made a pig's ear of it.

We've wasted the last two seasons and I suspect this season was our last realistic chance of getting back in Div 1. This season was a fantastic opportunity. Despite all of the above problems, despite a poor start, a switch of captain and several key injuries, we still could have gone up in second if we'd simply chose to bat instead of bowl in the last two games. That's how good our individuals and squad depth is.

We're a Div 1 side. Six of our latest eleven were brought up on Div 1 cricket, two were overseas internationals, two home-grown youngsters, one of which is an England Lion, the other took a Michelle, and Archer makes up the eleven - probably the best bowler across either divisions - who we've ironically burnt out (ironic considering our youth policy of serious under exposure).

The debacle that's gone on under these two jokers would be laughable if I wasn't a Sussex fan. An endless list of repetitive under achievement and failures.

P.S. Just to be clear, I'm in the 'get the management out' camp.

RIP

SUSSEX