Sussex win in the cold

I went to Hove yesterday and left at midday as I could not take the icy wind.

The championship has been book-ended with a chilly spring and autumn. Still, Sussex easily beat Glamorgan by an innings and 87 runs and now top the second division with 200 points – 37 clear of Yorkshire and 52 of Middlesex. We have now won 7 games.

It’s mainly a young side with Tom Haines, Tom Clark, Jack Carson, James Coles and Henry Crocombe all under 24.

Crocombe took a valuable brace and contributed 55 as night watchman and Tom Clark a century,  but it’s 36 year old captain John Simpson who would be most fans’ “player of the season”. He scored 117, taking him over 1,000 for the season, and has led the side expertly.

0I have been asked why Ollie Robinson did not make the touring side to Pakistan. Fitness is given as a reason but misconduct at his former club Yorkshire, censure over tweets in  2013, and his attitude are more likely factors. Robinson is 30 and maybe too the selectors want to choose the younger group of speedsters like Bryson Varse, Josh Hull and Gus Atkinson.  Still, as seems likely, Sussex are promoted Robbie will be more than useful.

If only Jofra was also fully fit.