Sussex Sharks v Essex
Metro Bank One Day Cup
The 1st Central County Ground, Hove
Wednesday 14 August, 11am
Having impressively seen off Notts Outlaws by seven wickets at Trent Bridge on Sunday, Essex bring their Metro Bank One Day Cup campaign to a close with a trip to Sussex Sharks tomorrow.
Robin Das’s maiden List A century underpinned the visitors’ successful chase of 219 to win in the Nottingham sunshine, with the 22-year-old sharing a partnership of 155 with Noah Thain, who hit 83.
Notts had posted their 218 all out, with Matt Montgomery’s 52 the top score, after Jamal Richards had also posted a career-best return, claiming a maiden List A five-for with figures of 5/31 from 8.2 overs.
The Eagles are unable to qualify from Group B, meaning the clash on the south coast will bring the curtain down on their 50-over exploits in 2024.
It will be the second time in this tournament this year that the Eagles have played a match by the seaside, having previously taken on Yorkshire Vikings in Scarborough last week.
Anthony McGrath takes his side to a ground they have not visited in List A cricket in more than six years aiming to seal a third win in this year’s competition and end it on a high note.
Squad
Director of Cricket McGrath has named an unchanged group from the 12 that travelled to Nottingham.
The Opposition
Sussex are the oldest first-class county on the English and Welsh domestic circuit, and, appropriately, were the first side to taste any form of List A glory as they lifted the 1963 Gillette Cup.
That was the very first time the competition had been run, with the Hove outfit beating Worcestershire by 14 runs in a keenly-contested Lord’s final, before they successfully defended the title in 1964.
Further successes in that competition followed in 1978 and 1986, as well as a first Pro40 title in 1982, though the county was then forced to wait two decades until their next white-ball success.
That followed with a final C&G Trophy win in 2006, coinciding with Sussex’s time as the dominant force in English cricket, and they went on to lift further Pro40 trophies in 2008 and 2009.
Since then, the Sharks are yet to win another List A trophy, and that record will stretch beyond this year too, with the side rock bottom of Group B with one win from seven matches.
Tom Haines is Sussex’s leading light with the bat, with his 316 runs at an average of 52.33 a bright spot in an otherwise wretched season, while Henry Crocombe has taken ten wickets at 23.30 apiece.
Sussex Sharks squad: John Simpson*+, Jack Campbell, Jack Carson, Oli Carter, Tom Clark, Henry Crocombe, Bertie Foreman, Tom Haines, Danial Ibrahim, Archie Lenham, Zach Lion-Cachet, Henry Rogers, Charlie Tear
Last Time We Met
Essex sealed a crushing 97-run win the last time the sides met, back in 2021 in Chelmsford, comfortably defending their 321-8 by bowling Sussex out for 224.
Put in after losing the toss, Essex soon made visiting captain Tom Haines regret his decision, as Josh Rymell and Feroze Khushi put on a partnership of 115 for the third wicket.
Both made fifties, with the former doing so for the first time in his List A career, and progressed to 78 and 77, respectively, before 53 off just 29 from Adam Wheater hoisted the Eagles to an imposing score.
James Coles was the only Sussex bowler to possess an economy rate that equated to less than a run per ball, with Aron Nijjar also chipping in at the back end with a 16-ball 28.
In reply, regular wickets frequently dented the Sharks’ chase, with Ryan ten Doeschate being the pick of Essex’s bowlers as he returned 4/34 from his 9.2 overs, and Jack Plom also taking 3/52.
Travis Head, James Coles, and David Wiese all passed 30 but were unable to kick on as Simon Harmer’s 2/29 proved a strangling force, before ten Doeschate took the final wicket to confirm a win.
Group B Table
How To Watch
If you are not joining the Eagles on the south coast in person, the match will be live-streamed on hosts Sussex’s YouTube channel and will be available to watch through the Essex Cricket Matchzone.
A report will be published on the Club website at the conclusion of the game, while live updates and highlights will be provided on the Essex Cricket social media channels.
Tickets
Tickets for the game in Hove can bought in advance from the Sussex website and are priced at £20 for adults, £15 for over-65s, £10 for youths aged between 15 and 17, and £5 for juniors aged 14 and under.
Sussex are also selling tickets to sit specifically in the ground’s Spen Cama Pavilion, located square of the wicket, for an additional £5 on all the above prices.
To secure your seats, visit the link below:
School’s out, cricket’s in: 50-over cricket in Chelmsford this summer
White-ball action in Chelmsford is not finished for 2024, with The Cloud County Ground set to host one more Women’s London Championship match during the summer holidays.
Don’t miss out on a family day out in the middle of the city by securing your seats to this week’s clash.
Wednesday 14 August, 11:00am: Essex Women v Sussex – buy here
