Chief executive Rob Andrew and performance director Keith Greenfield will be in the spotlight next week when they answer Sussex members’ questions at an online forum.
The mood of the meeting may well depend on the outcome of events 48 hours earlier when Sussex make their fifth appearance at T20 finals day and first since losing the 2018 final to Worcestershire.
Victory at Edgbaston would alter how events at the club this season are viewed as a whole.
But there are still likely to be some serious questions asked of the top brass about the club’s long-term strategy after the disappointing performances in the County Championship and Royal London Cup.
The deckchairs at the County Ground were in use for the first time in nearly two years for this week’s County Championship game against Middlesex.
And while the mood among the occupants could hardly be described as militant, even though Sussex suffered an innings defeat, the cognoscenti want assurances about the way ahead.
At Worcester a fortnight ago the average of the team was 19.5 years, thought to be the youngest in the history of the County Championship.
No one is arguing that developing players from your own academy, as well as through strong links with schools in Sussex, is important, both ethically and in terms of balancing the books at a time when cricket’s finances are so fragile.
But Sussex members and the thousands of people who have an affection for the county but who don’t necessarily go to matches will want to know that Sussex will be competitive in the next few years.
I sat down this week to list a possible team for the first Championship game of 2022 and, on paper at least, it’s decent.
Ali Orr, one of the youngsters blooded this season, and Tom Haines could form a strong opening partnership for many years to come.
Australian Travis Head is due back next year, and may even end up captaining the side, while Ben Brown, Daniel Ibrahim, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Jack Carson, George Garton and new signing Steven Finn, look a decent 6-11.
There are two places in the top five to be filled in my “fantasy” XI, one of which may go to Tom Clark, who has missed a lot of cricket this summer through injury.
And that XI doesn’t contain either Ollie Robinson or Jofra Archer, both of whom could play in the early weeks of next season.
In two formats then Sussex supporters may have to experience some short-term pain before the gain.
It wouldn’t be the first time the county have finished 18th and last in the Championship – a fate which awaits them if they don’t win one of their last two games.
But some told me they won’t commit to renewing memberships to watch “another season of development cricket”.
No one can argue that, despite their lack of experience, the team haven’t been competitive this season, but there’s a difference between that and winning matches. No one likes losing game after game – players or supporters.
The T20 side is almost a completely different team. Of those who played against Middlesex this week, only Garton and Delray Rawlins will be in the squad for Finals Day.
But despite Sussex’s relative success in that format, it might end up being the side that needs most work to remain competitive.
Phil Salt and Chris Jordan are leaving for Lancashire and Surrey respectively at the end of the season and they are two big roles to fill.
While not in Jordan’s class, Hudson-Prentice could occupy the bowling all-rounder’s slot – and Finn has captained Middlesex’s T20 side this summer and will be a good addition with his vast experience.
But Salt will need replacing and, as is always the case with overseas players and especially in covid times, there are no guarantees that Rashid Khan, Head or David Wiese will be back in 2022.
It has already been a summer of major upheaval at Hove and the winter could be just as intriguing.
It will be fascinating to hear what Andrew and Greenfield have to say about the future and how they see Sussex’s place in the ever-changing landscape of domestic cricket.
Follow Bruce Talbot on Twitter @brucetalbot1.
