Sussex sport

Last night I watched Brighton HSFC draw 1-1 with south coast rivals Bournemouth in a game sometimes labelled El Coastico.

The Seagulls started brightly but it was the visitors who took the lead after VAR overruled the referee’s decision to book the Cherries’ Adly for simulation. After the usual interminable delay he awarded a penalty. It was a low cross which Brighton’s keeper Bart Verbruggen met the same time as Adly. I don’t see why VAR has to interfere in decisions made in good faith and which are ultimately a matter of opinion.

The Seagullls had the better of the second half with young  Kostoulas equalising in injury time with a spectacular overhead kick. These can go anywhere but this one eluded the Cherries’ keeper Ptetrovic who seemed to waive at the ball as it went  into the net. Kastoulas is part of the young blood injected into the team but Brighton has four starters aged 34 or over (and thus older than head coach Fabian Hürzeler). Next Saturday I’m the guest of Alan Tanner in Fulham’s £150 million new stand for our visit.

More troubles for Sussex Sport as the ECB has imposed “special measures” on Sussex CCC. Sussex have always had an uneasy relationship with the ECB and I don’t know if this is case of “no smoke without fire” or an actual breach of the financial regulations. Sussex ex-Chief Executive Rob Andrew is a senior executive of the ECB but cannot be seen, overtly or clandestinely, to help.