Sussex all-rounder James Coles was surprised by his own success in the 2023 season.
After forcing his way into the red-ball side in late April, the 19-year-old didn’t look back, amassing more than 800 runs at an average of 42.45, with three textbook centuries.
Speaking after Sussex’s third and final victory of the season last month, Coles said: “I went into the season not really expecting anything.
“Paul Farbrace spoke pretty honestly with me and said, ‘you’re not going to start in the team,’ and that Dan Ibrahim was ahead of me as the next batter in, so that instantly gave me a bit of a point to prove.
“Luckily, I started well and got a hundred in the first second XI game, then 60-odd against Hampshire. The next thing I knew I was in the squad.
“It happened really quickly. Luckily enough I took my chances and made the most of my opportunities. So, I’m really chuffed with how it’s gone.”
Taking the reins in December, head coach Farbrace oversaw a topsy-turvy season on the south coast. Despite points deductions for slow over rates and dissent, he managed to steer Sussex to third in Division Two of the County Championship, their best finish for five years.
Coles said: “It was funny actually. Our first interaction, I went over and shook his hand and he told me later on that he didn’t know who I was.
“From there to where we are now, I think it’s quite a considerable difference. It’s done me the world of good, getting complete backing.
“He said to me at the end of the 50-over competition, you’re going to get a full run of games in these last three. And he gave me the confidence and said, yeah, you’re going to get a hundred in these last three too. It’s quite nice to follow up and do what he said I’d do.”
Coles 158-ball 128 was the crowning jewel of a fine final fixture for Sussex as they demolished Gloucestershire by 339 runs last month. Coles caressed 13 boundaries in an innings of the utmost fluency, with his first fifty runs coming off only 39 balls.
“If you look at the innings, the boys up top set the platform so well, it gives people like me and Fynn (Hudson-Prentice) freedom to do stuff like that. That’s why I really enjoy batting, especially at Hove, because things can happen so quickly. If you get on a roll, it’s the best place to bat in the country.”
Alongside his mountains of runs, Coles also managed to contribute with the ball, snagging five wickets with his looping off-spin in the 2023 season.
He said: “Ideally, I see myself as a batting all-rounder but I know with the ball I’ve been a bit disappointing this year so I know that’s something to work on this winter.
“I didn’t give myself enough time with bowling practice this year. The way I practised my bowling wasn’t quite as hard and as focused as it should have been.
“I was doing it to get it done rather than to get something out of it. That’s something for next year, to definitely look into and have a bit more purpose with it and we’ll definitely see some results.
“When it comes to it, I can offer a few overs with the ball. But I’d definitely like to contribute a bit more with it. I think I’m probably more of a batter this year, so hopefully I can turn into an all-rounder next.”
While his 16 career wickets have been handy, a first class bowling average north of 70 is far from the record of an all-rounder. If selected, the Oxfordshire native is keen to work on his off spin on the England Lions’ upcoming tour of India.
Coles said: “It’s still all up in the air a little bit. My plans are hopefully to get on to the Lions trip this winter. That would be nice.
“I’ve had a little bit from the coaches saying that it’s likely. We’ll see in the next few weeks if anything happens.”
He already has international pedigree, with 10 appearances for the England under-19 side and experience training with the senior squad.
He said: “I went and bowled with the test squad during the Ashes. That was an instant eye-opener of where I saw myself in comparison to where they’re all at.
“If the Lions tour doesn’t happen, I’ll go to Sri Lanka again to work on my bowling and maybe play some cricket out there. After Christmas, I’d go to South Africa.
“I went last year and did the same thing. It was really good. I did the Gary Kirsten academy and found that really beneficial.
“I think I’d go this time and maybe do some one-to-one training with the same academy but not do the full programme and hopefully play some club cricket. Hopefully, I’d speak to people at Western Province. I know people there so I’d speak to them.”
With six months until the return of county cricket, Coles has plenty of time to develop his game. Yet, he’s already looking towards the 2024 season and the prospect of a long career in domestic and international cricket.
He said: “I had a nice long chat with the psychologist earlier this week and I was pretty honest. I want a good career and if it’s not going as well as I want it to. I want to try to fix that as quickly as possible.
“I want it to be one of those careers that are memorable. I’ve set pretty high standards of where I want to be in the next five years. I always try to set goals at the start of the season. I did that this year and reached them pretty quickly.
“My goals were to play one T20 and then I ended up playing for the majority of the competition. And then score a first class hundred which I did pretty early again. So I got to the point in the season where I didn’t really have anything to aim for and had to reassess.
“Next year, I’m going to set some maybe even unattainable goals. If I set them, it’ll keep me driving.”
