2022 was an abysmal year for Sussex County Cricket Club. The club won only one County Championship fixture all season, finishing second last in the Second Division.
The T20 Blast wasn’t much better. In a docile effort, Sussex finished seventh in the southern group – a whopping 13 points from the top spot.
Their only moderate success came in the One-Day Cup.
Sporting a bright pink strip, a string of commanding batting performances led Sussex to six wins from eight games and they topped their group.
Despite defeat in a tight semi-final to Lancashire, the campaign stands out as a savoury crumb of victory in an otherwise bland season for the Hove faithful.
With a similar squad, who have been much improved in the County Championship and T20 Blast this season, head coach Paul Farbrace is optimistic about his side’s chances in this year’s Cup which runs throughout August.
Speaking after a tense draw with Derbyshire, Farbrace said: “The team did very well last year. They got to the semi-final and I would imagine that confidence would be high going into the tournament again this year.
“We’ve got the same sort of players. We’ll have Cheteshwar Pujara back. And it’s a chance for the youngsters to keep kicking on and showing that they can play good one-day cricket.”
After a month in India, Pujara, who has over 100 test appearances, will be looking to replicate his outstanding form in last year’s competition.
In his first season for Sussex, the Indian maestro produced a campaign for the ages. A veteran in age only, Pujara averaged a whopping 89.14 in his nine 50-over outings, scoring three sublime centuries.
His majestic 174 against Surrey will live long in the memory of all in attendance. Batting beautifully, if somewhat conservatively on his way to three figures, Pujara let loose after reaching the milestone. Smashing the 47th over for 22, he raced from 100 to 150 in just 20 scintillating balls.
Next month, he’ll be joined by a youthful top and middle order, with most of his fellow batters under the age of 27.
Ali Orr is a name that rises above the rest. At 22, the Eastbourne native is tipped for stardom. His textbook technique and ruthless aggression have given the opener a stellar start to his career – and were a killer combination in last year’s One-Day Cup.
His double-ton against Somerset was a particular highlight. From 161 balls, Orr smashed 206 runs, including 11 sixes, launched far into an astonished Taunton crowd. The mammoth knock was the crown jewel in a consistent campaign for Orr, who struck three more fifties in his nine matches.
Youngster James Coles is a similarly exciting talent. At only 19, the Englishman has been raising eyebrows this season. In May, he outshone Steven Smith with a flamboyant maiden century against Glamorgan.
A month later the all-rounder put Derbyshire to the sword with a flawless 180. Full of crisp drives and punishing cut shots, the knock serves as an example of the high-class cricketer Coles can become. Whether or not he can convert his formidable form into a One-Day Cup run will be revealed in the coming month.
Youth mixes with experience to a similar degree in the bowling department. After over a year out, fast bowler Steven Finn will make his comeback in the Cup, having finally recovered from a long-term knee injury.
Arriving at Hove at the start of last season, Finn endured a mediocre start to his Sussex career, taking only 21 wickets in 18 matches before his injury. Yet, with more than 100 England appearances, Farbrace has high hopes for the 6ft 5in paceman.
He said: “If Finny’s fit, that’s almost like having an overseas player, an experienced international coming into your team. That would be brilliant for us.”
He’ll be bowling in tandem with Greek international Ari Karvelas, who’s consistent pace and nagging length proved vital last season.
Initially joining Sussex on a month-long trial, seamer Karvelas was a revelation in 2022, taking 20 wickets in his nine One-Day Cup fixtures – the second most of any bowler in the competition.
He was particularly potent when bowling alongside his flatmate, Brad Currie.
Currie, 24, made his Scotland debut last week. He has carved a career for himself as a tricky swing bowler. What the Scot lacks in pace, he makes up for in movement through the air – which he used to his advantage in last year’s Cup, taking 12 wickets at a notable average of 26.00.
Sadly for Sussex, they’ll be without their quickest bowler, as 26-year-old George Garton will be away with the Southern Brave, his side in the Hundred.
Running concurrently with the One-Day Cup, the Hundred is a three-year-old, 100-ball tournament dreamt up to entice younger generations to cricket.
The competition is franchised, meaning squads are selected in an NFL-like draft. Highly marketed and highly criticised, this system often leaves the 18 counties short-changed, with their best players unavailable for the One-Day Cup because they’ve been cherry-picked for the Hundred.
Surrey, for example, will be without nine players who would otherwise have been available, as practically all their white-ball stars were snatched up in the dreaded draft.
In last year’s edition, this was catastrophic. Missing even more players, the routinely dominant county recorded only two victories, sinking to seventh place in their group.
Sussex don’t have this issue. With only Garton selected for the Hundred, Farbrace has an almost full-strength squad from which to pick.
In a way, this levels the playing field. Without their best players, the richest counties are forced on to the back foot, compelled to select reserve and rotation players.
Sussex’s first opponents Durham, are one such side. Visiting the 1st Central County Ground on Friday 4 August, they’ll be without Ben Stokes, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood and Nathan Sowter.
With former England stars Alex Lees and Scott Borthwick among their ranks, they remain a quality side. Yet, with five key men missing, Sussex will fancy their chances.
For a semi-final spot, Sussex will need to finish either first or second in their group. The eight sides they’ll face in the group stage are Derbyshire, Durham, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
Despite topping their group last season, Farbrace remains grounded about his side’s chances.
He said: “I would hope and expect that we’re there or thereabouts for qualification for the knockout stage. If you get to that stage, you can think about winning it after that.”
Sussex will play two warm up matches before the campaign gets under way – away to Oxfordshire on Sunday (30 July) and at home to Buckinghamshire on Tuesday 1 August.
