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

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Rather worrying for Sussex management however, is the lack of form shown by the experienced middle order, and the form of some of the first choice bowlers. Eccles will have his work cut out when he and his team sit down to discuss the first five games of his tenure.

Sussex sits at the top of the Super Cup table for Group B, but it was for the outstanding contributions by individuals rather than teamwork that allowed it. Nevertheless, they have qualified for the next stage of the Cup, but must now be focused on the one and four day league competitions.
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Discussions between coach and management highlighted the lack of depth and experience in the squad. Eccles is clearly shopping for some experienced middle order players, a solid wicketkeeper, another descent allrounder, two strike bowlers and a high class spinner to replace Ahmed at the end of the season. It is clearly evident that Eccles is result focused and is not afraid to show players the exit door if they do not perform.

Young middle order batsman Tim Ambrose has enjoyed a high profile in the tabloids after an alleged incident led to a falling out with Eccles. Whether Ambrose leaves the club at the end of the year remains to be seen, with his agent simply stating his client was contracted to Sussex for the next three years and remains focused toward the goal of helping Sussex gain promotion to division one.
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Eccles has taken the usual step of publishing his notes on the players in the hope that it will inspire them to perform.

In the four innings to date, Ambrose has managed just 35 runs for a meagre average of 8.75 with a high score of 21 and two catches.

Improving gloveman Matt Prior has enjoyed a better start to the Super Cup, two half centuries down the order, four catches and a healthy average at better than a run a ball.

All rounder Robin Martin-Jenkins has balanced ability with the bat, and economy with the ball, but has struggled for wickets. In the longer form of the game, he should hopefully be the one seamer that can tie down an end.

Mushtaq Ahmed has done what was expected of him – take wickets. In five games, he has taken 11 at a shade over 21 per wicket.

Rob Kirtley, the opening bowler has also managed to take wickets, 10 at under 22, but Eccles is suitably unimpressed. He was heard shouting “Someone of your calibre should regularly be taking 100 wickets in a season.” Maybe speculation over the legality of his action have left him jaded. Maybe he’ll be looking for a new home at seasons end.

Jase Lewry has had an appalling start to the season. He has not managed to succeed at any one aspect of his trade. He is not scoring runs, taking wickets or bowling economically. A lot of work will be needed to improve the 42 overs, 210 runs, two wickets at economy 5 runs per over. Expect him to see an awful lot of the gym in the coming months.

Pakistani pro Rana Navan-ul-Hasan has done what most bowlers dream about – scoring runs when needed and carrying his team to glory. In his 4 innings to date, Rana has only been dismissed once. However, his bowling is suffering, as the 3 wickets at 64 would indicate.

Another struggling for form is veteran Chris Adams, with a high score so far of 31 – he also has plenty of work to do to regain the confidence of the coach and managerial staff.

Captain Murray Goodwin is patchy with form, but with a half century and a couple of starts, it shouldn’t be too long before he hits his straps again.

Richard Montgomerie is a rare beast at Sussex at the moment; he is a player in form. With no score below twenty, an eighty odd and a forty nine, he still has room for improvement, but the signs are positive.

Ian Ward, the left hander opener is also running into some form, he is however inconsistent. He has made a couple of solid starts, followed by a one and a duck, followed by an unbeaten maiden century to carry his side to victory against Essex. Best aggregate of runs to date with 218.
 

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Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Grant Flower?

Interesting, Grant Flower did not take part in his sides loss to Sussex.

Discrete enquires were made, and this official line was "Grant had a 24 'flu type virus and the medical staff are monitoring him closely in the hope that he will be fully fit for the start of the 4 day competition"

Sources inside the Essex squad suggest all is not it appears to be. "If Flower does show up on the transfer market at seasons' end, do not be surprised"

From a personal and purely selfish point of view, he would be a huge asset to Sussex, should he find himself without a club next year. Must sit him down and discuss his future with him.
 
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sammy22

U19 12th Man
Stick with Chris Adams mate, I signed him for Lancashire and he averaged over 90, which included 5 consecutive centuries at one stage.
 

sammy22

U19 12th Man
Dodgy said:
Cheers Sammy - thought I better have a go, great fun but labour intensive!
Yeah, I played it for nearly 2 days solid, only stopping to post my progress on a match to match basis :-O :p :blink:
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Oh I will, he is by far the most experienced player I have, and I have a decided lack of quality substitutes.

sammy22 said:
Stick with Chris Adams mate, I signed him for Lancashire and he averaged over 90, which included 5 consecutive centuries at one stage.
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
I played for about 3 hours last night and got as far as the end of the SC qualifying. I've been known to play a season with Essex in that time (granted with the ICC 2000 database). This is far more of a challenge. And I'll have to start a new thread when I upgrade to ICC 2005....

Work tomorrow too.

sammy22 said:
Yeah, I played it for nearly 2 days solid, only stopping to post my progress on a match to match basis :-O :p :blink:
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
The beginning of the four day games and Eccles is hoping that the squad performs to their potential. “The team has the ability to win games, and with the confidence gained through the Super Cup league stage, the boys will continue to build and flourish.”
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
As an aside, more fancied contenders for Eccles signature earlier in the year, all failed in the qualifying stages of the Super Cup. Hampshire, choc full of England and overseas stars finished bottom of the group, while up and coming glamour club Essex with the Flowers, Darren Gough, Tudor, Irani, Kaneira, Steyn, aggressive ‘keeper Foster and up-and-coming left hander Cook also failed to qualify. Surrey's qualification, however, will give Eccles something to ponder.
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Eccles has made no secret of the fact that he is already scouting clubs for suitable youth players and is holding meetings with key personal from other counties who are off contract at the end of the season as he looks to rebuild Sussex. “We have some players who will not be offered new contracts at the end of this season, and we will be looking to bring players into the side which will allow us to move forward”.

Presumable, he means upwards.

Eccles, however, refused to be drawn into the murky water that surrounds the youngster Tim Ambrose. When asked whether Ambrose would be released by the club at the end of the season, Eccles simply said “It is far too early in the season to be commenting, Tim knows what is expected of him, and he knows the consequences of non-performance. We (Sussex) are providing him with every available resource to help him rediscover his form.”
 
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Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
First game is Gloucestershire at Bristol. Closed training for the squad as they prepare, and eyes will be watching as the first side is named for the season. Will Ambrose make the cut? Will a second spinner be named? All these questions will be answered shortly.
 

sammy22

U19 12th Man
Nice one Dodgy, enjoying the way you are writing this. I also see you;ve kept us all in suspense as to team selection :cool: :D
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Two predictable changes announced as the squad to face Gloucestershire is announced. Tim Ambrose, struggling for form has been replaced by Carl Hopkinson, who has struck form in the second team. Offspinning allrounder Chris Nash also replaces out of sorts left armer Jase Lewry.

Eccles only comments when the team was announced were “The reshuffle in the line up serves two purposes. Firstly, it will strengthen our batting, and provide a second spinning option to support Ahmed on what could be a turning wicket late in the final day. Lewry and Ambrose are still very much in my frame of thinking and their form will be monitored carefully.”

Both Nash and Hopkinson are to make their first class debuts, with Nash playing a handful of one day games last season without much success, the fans could well be calling for Eccles' resignation by the end of the game, although whether either team can force a result looks doubtful as the long range forecast would suggest that 3 sessions could be lost to rain.

Chris Adams has also been seen plying his rarely seen off-spin in the nets.
 

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Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Started well - have one the toss and elected to bat - time will tell whether it is the right decision or not.
 

Dodgy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Depressing start! 15 runs short of a batting point, suicidal running from my openers and great bowling from the opposition, Martyn Ball with 4/52 (19) and Jon Lewis 2/30 (18.4) totally embarrassing Sussex. Chris Nash providing the only real opposition with a defiant unbeaten 49 from 102 balls on debut.

Sussex should feel extremely disappointed with the efforts and lets hope that they can make early inroads into the Gloucestershire batting line-up, especially dangerous former Central Districts and Kiwi opener Craig Spearman.
 

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