The view from the middle of the bottom: A Sussex ICC 2000 story

[Dodgy]

Clutching his British passport as he boarded a plane, twenty eight year old Dave “Dodgy” Eccles has just seen his beloved Auckland rugby side lift the NPC trophy for the first time in what seemed an eternity, and boarded a plane – his destination was England, role and purpose yet to be decided.

Armed with Kentlad’s latest database update and a renewed lust for life, it became increasingly apparent that he was being courted by three or four counties for the upcoming cricket season. Rumours in the tabloids suggested that glamour clubs Hampshire, Surrey and Essex were in hot pursuit of his signature. At least one other club was thought to be in the hunt. After weeks of speculation, the announcement came from Sussex that they had secured his services after a tense final week of negotiations.

Upon signing, David said that he felt a certain affinity to Sussex, with his mother growing up here, and whilst she subsequently immigrated in 1971 to New Zealand, he still had family in the area. Eccles, whilst unavailable for comment at moment, is thought to be on a one year contract, with results deciding his fate at the end of the season. Mark Robinson, the former first eleven seam bowler, was thought to be the only other candidate.

 

[Dodgy]

Eccles met with Sussex officials for the first time today and discussed the way forward for the club. First on the list of jobs for the newly appointed manager was to decide which of the second team warranted promotion into the squad for the upcoming season. While 3 batmen and one bowler were offered contracts, only Carl Hammond, an aggressive middle order player and Gerald Kendall, a left hander opener were eventually available. While Eccles expressed disappointment at losing Len Lumet to Warwickshire and Ray Ringham to Leicestershire, he wished them well. “I was hopeful of retaining their services as we look to rebuild Sussex and mold a successful unit over the next year.” The youth team has been identified as a priority, and has been funded to the maximum allowed GBP 50,000 per annum.

Commenting on the squad that had assembled however, Eccles was well short of waxing lyrical. Much will be expected of openers Ward and Montgomerie, veteran Chris Adams, Koplak star Murray Goodwin, young keeper/bat Tim Ambrose and the ever improving Matt Prior. Pace bowlers Robin Martin-Jenkins, Rob Kirtley and Jason Lewry will be expect to carry most of the overs from one end, whilst Pakistani duo Mustaq Ahmed and Rana Naved-ul-Hassan are the counties overseas players. That said, the quota on overseas players looks to be reviewed next season with the influx of Koplak players, which could cause an issue at Sussex because Rana Naved-ul-Hassan was signed on a three year deal, meaning Sussex may be unable to recruit a new overseas player at the end of the year. When specifically asked this question, Eccles only comment was “We’ll just have to see how the year pans out”. Given that Eccles is only allegedly on a one year contract, the club faithful will be hoping the year doesn’t pan either.

The rest of the squad has a largely “experimental” feel to it, with no big names but plenty of youngsters with something to prove. However, it has been suggested that the team may struggle to bowl classier sides out.

 

[Dodgy]

Eccles addressed the media in his last public outing before the season opener against Kent, in response to whispers about Magpie, a performance enhancing steroid, which will can improve performance greatly, fill gaps with squads with the simplicity of clicking a mouse button and can in the short term, drastically reduce overheads. Reading from a prepared statement “We will compete in the highest level possible and within the spirit of the game. Any members found to be cheating or taking drugs of any sort without the proper medical clearance will have their contract terminated immediately.”

"This includes the recreational drug CtrlAltDel which I am sure everyone has used when close to a defeat to create a second opportunity with which to snare Andy Flower, Kevin Pietersen al et for not many."

 

[Dodgy]

After reading the prepared statement regarding his position on drugs, whether the usage was wide-spread in the club, and cheating in general, questions were taken from the media. Eccles reacted to comments that Rob Kirtley (the Sussex opening bowler) is a chucker, simply saying "Until he is reported to the ICC to undergo further testing, he is in my opinion available for selection."

When asked why he had not ungraded the facilities at Sussex, Eccles said that the fitness staff had ensured all 2004/05 players were available for selection (special mention to Kentlad) and that the first priority was to build the depth in the squad.

Off the record, Eccles has many bills due this month (car insurance, AA, life assurance, rego, MOT/WOF, so money at the moment is a little tight.

"Facilities will be upgraded in due course as part of my plan to make Sussex a more attractive proposition for county cricketers"

 

[Dodgy]

The squad for the opening one dayer against Kent.

 

[Dodgy]

Posted 265/8 – could have been better. Montgomerie got out just as things were getting started, Goodwin went far too early, Patel hurt us with two wickets in an over, getting Adams and Ward just as they were starting to accelerate the scoring. Excellent partnership between Martin-Jenkins and Prior underlined their potential – I hope it can last. Sussex dressing room door is closed as they discuss tactics for the Kent run chase.

 

[Dodgy]

Tight bowling from Martin-Jenkins (2-36 from 10) bowling at first change and and maiden one day half century could not rip the MOM award from Ahmed with 7-30 from seven probing overs. Fantastic first up win!

 

[Dodgy]

Next up – Hampshire. Warne and Pietersen. Together! Oh, and McMillan, Ervine, Pothas, Crawley. Do we look scared? Should we be? The first up win against Kent has given the team a fair amount of confidence and self belief.

 

[Dodgy]

We have won the toss and on a slow pitch with cloud cover, have opted to bowl first and hopefully roll them quickly.

Both openers fell cheaply, but Pietersen and Pothas battled Hampshire out of danger. Pietersen with 75 from 66 balls took a liking to Ahmed 1/62 from ten and Lewry 0/59 from ten. Crawley with 61 from 66 ensured that momentum wasn’t lost after Pothas was done by a Kirtley slower ball. Rob Kirtley (2/30) and Martin-Jenkins (1/39) were the best of a sloppy effort with the ball from Sussex. On a positive note, the bowlers were disciplined, offering up only 3 no balls, one wide and a bye throughout the innings

 

[Dodgy]

The outfield quickened up during the innings break, which made the job a lot easier, as did a solid opening stand. Montgomerie and Ward played well together, compiling a century opening stand before Ward was run out trying to take on Tremlett’s arm from the deep. Ward gone for a 58 ball 56. With Ward’s departure and Montgomerie playing well from the other end, it allowed Goodwin to play his natural attacking game. Particularly brutal on the pace of Tremlett and the gentle off-spin of Udal, he bought up his fifty from only 30 balls. The dismissal of Montgomerie for 81 from 111 balls, bought the veteran Adams to the crease who rotated the strike with Goodwin, ending with 31 from 30. Goodwin left with 75 from 54. A fantastic win for Sussex against the odds and against a highly fancied opposition. Eccles commented after the win, “The boys have only just started”, but with two from two, they have had their odds slashed at Centrebet from 1/100 to 1/45 to take the title this season.

 

[Dodgy]

Eccles’s next game is against another glamour club who he shunned to take the reins at Sussex – Surrey.

 

[Dodgy]

Sussex has lost the toss and will bowl. The weather is fantastic and the outfield is fast. My only hope is to keep it tight, attack from the start and hope we won’t be chasing to many. The upside is it is a homegrown pitch that shouldn’t wear as the game progresses.

Surrey were restricted to 198/3, including 10 extras. The first opportunity for a wicket didn’t come until the introduction of Ahmed in the twenty-third over. After 3 overs, Ahmed had the figure of 0/27, but he was persevered with, ending with figures of 1/52 from 10. He received support from both Lewry (1/30) and Martin-Jenkins (0/33) who also bowled tidily. After Newman was caught in the gully for 73 from 108, and Thorpe was caught behind off Ahmed for 23 from 14 trying to force the pace, Surrey were let down by Butcher who scored an unbeaten 85 from 161 balls, perhaps a testament to the accuracy of Sussex attack. Still Surrey have the runs on the board, and Butcher is a more than capable dibby-dobby bowler, so would be folly to write him off just yet, although they would be disappointed with their final score

 

[Dodgy]

A major batting collapse saw Surrey win easily. A poor display of 151 all out in the 39 over (including 15 extras) looked better than 100/9. Fittingly, Butcher took the last wicket and was named Man of the Match. Mahmood started the rot by claiming Ward for one, Montgomerie was undone by the spin of Singh, Goodwin run out by Bicknell. The signs were not good for the previously undefeated Sussex.

However the stars with the ball were England discard Jimmy Ormond, who ran through the middle order with 3/26 from seven and unheralded nineteen year old medium-pace all-rounder James Benning who took 2/13 from four well thought out overs, including the key wicket of Sussex allrounder Robin Martin-Jenkins. Have Surrey unearthed another star?

Benning is an aggressive middle-order player, who was promoted into the first team this year, after previously touting his wares in the Surrey youth programme. After Surrey signed him to a relatively cheap three year contract, Eccles and Sussex can be left wondering “if only” after a humbling defeat!

 

[Dodgy]

Middlesex are the next opponents and Sussex and Eccles will be looking for a decisive comeback. Eccles had ordered a closed training session and will be holding one on one session’s with individuals in the coming weeks.

Hopkinson, Yardy and Turk are all performing well in the seconds, as is the offspin pairing of Nash and Davis. Unfortunately this season’s signings of Hammond and Kendall are not performing yet. Coaching sessions have been assigned and hopefully that will pay off before the 4 day games start.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Nice read. Keep it up mate!

 

[Dodgy]

Eccles resisted the urge to make changes for the game against Middlesex, and have been inserted on a cloudy day at Lords.

Rolled for 219 in 43 overs. Middlesex opened the bowling with Indian left armer Irfan Pathan, and NZ international Scott Styris. Pathan immediately got Ward for a golden duck. Montgomerie and Goodwin then seemed to prosper, scoring at will against Styris, median pacer Chad Keegan, and left arm spinner Chris Peploe, Montgomerie in particular, peppering the boundary rope with some well timed cut shots.

The worm turned, however, when Goodwin chopped a wide ball from Keegan on to his stumps, looking to push another bad ball through the vacant cover region. Adams and Montgomerie looked to re-establish the innings when Montgomerie was deceived in flight by the youngster Peploe and missed a straight one which cannoned into middle stump.

Two balls later, Tim Ambrose’s chances of an extended run in the side were dealt a blow when he misjudged a perfectly pitched arm ball and was out without scoring. Peploe went on to claim another two wickets on his way to 4/59, Pathan came back late in the innings to record figures of 4/33 from 9.3 overs, and the only resistance came from impressive gloveman Matt Prior with 50 from 40 balls and, Pakistani paceman Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who worked the tail on his way to 38 from 67. Will it be enough?

 

[Dodgy]

What a game! Sussex hold their nerve in the last over to record a win by 6 runs. A slight misjudgment by the captain Goodwin left him having to bowl the last over with 16 needed to record the win. Kirtley and Naven-ul-Hasan had earlier left Middlesex reeling at 3/18, however a partnership of 127 between Styris and Ed Joyce threaten to easily take Middlesex to the win.

Even after Styris was caught behind by Martin-Jenkin, Middlesex still looked the dominant force, with Ed Smith combining well with Ed Joyce. When the opening bowling combination of Kirtley and Naven-ul-Hasan took care of Joyce, Middlesex still loomed.

The last throw of the dice came from Goodwin when he threw the ball back to experienced left armer Jason Lewry, who induced an inside edge from Joyce through to Matt Prior. If Sussex though that was then end of the fireworks, they were mistaken, however David Nash’s cameo of 21 from 11 failed to carry them through to the win.

Kirtley with 3/35 from ten, Naven-ul-Hasan 1/29 (10) and Martin-Jenkins 1/24 (9) all bowled intelligently through the latter stages of the innings. Pathan takes MOM honours for his 4/33 in the first dig.

 

[Dodgy]

Essex up next. It would appear that all the counties chasing Eccles’s signature are in the same pool – coincidence or something more? Eccles wins few friends in media circles by stating the bleeding obvious “We must play better then we did against Middlesex if we want to win this, and we cannot allow the Flower brothers to bloom”.

Rumour has it that young keeper/bat Tim Ambrose has been put on notice and may be looking for a new club at the end of the season. Both Sussex management and Ambrose were unavailable for comment. Flying in the face of speculation however, he has managed to retain his place in the team to face Essex. Sources close to the Sussex camp had suggested that Carl Hopkinson or the aggressive left hander Mike Yardy, who had both been playing well in the second team would be drafted in. It might be a case of the last chance saloon for Ambrose.

 

[Dodgy]

Have lost the toss but will bowl – so am happy enough. Hopefully I can restrict them and then blast my way past the total.

With Essex 50/3 and Jefferson, Cook and Andy Flower back in the hutch, you could be mistaken for thinking that Sussex were on top. Despite Navan-ul-Hasan and Kirtley opening well, failure to dislodge Ronnie Irani whilst he blasted his way to 111 from 118 paved the way for Essex to post a defendable total. Napier (34 in partnership of 90) and wicketkeeper Foster (39 in partnership of 85) kept Essex in the running, and while both lost their stumps to Ahmed trying to up the ante, Irani kept the runs flowing from his bat at the other end.

Kirtley (3/50 from ten) and Ahmed (2/41) from ten were amongst the wickets, while Martin-Jenkins (0/26 from ten) was again economical. Would it be enough? Against a bowling attack stacked with former internationals, it will not be easy.

 

[Dodgy]

Sussex squeaks home with an over to spare!

Ian Ward carries his bat for a century to give Sussex the win in a perfectly timed run chase.

Ward and Montgomerie (31 from 39) put on 80 for the first wicket before Montgomerie became the first of Kaneria’s four victims. Kaneria finishes with 4/37 from ten, but Ward hogs the strike facing 181 balls for his maiden one day century, eventually finishing on 123. He featured in partnerships of 30 with Martin-Jenkins (11 off 12), 40 with Matt Prior (17 from 19) and an unbeaten 46 with Navan-ul-Hasan (19 from 30) to carry them to victory.