To be honest, I’ve no idea what to do. Jofra Archer, George Munsey and Travis Head are still away, we’re getting destroyed in this tournament and I’m really not sure I care.
I don’t want to play any more than I have to and I don’t want to waste players’ form on this tinpot joke of a format I’m not interested in.
However, I also don’t want morale to plummet as my players get thrashed all over the shop either. Decisions, decisions.
Selection: I stick with the same team. Whatever.
Guess who wins the toss? Of course it’s Hampshire.
They sling us in to bat.
Sussex’s Innings:
First over, first wicket. Shehan Jayasuriya gone off Mr Shaheen Afridi. 6-1. Let joy be unconfined.
Laurie Evans tootles away before getting complacent, tossing a dolly up only to be dropped in the slips and bowled for 22 off Afridi. 32-2.
Luke Wright decides he’s inspired. He gets bowled by South African Chris Morris next over for 10. Tit.
Credit where credit is due, Delray Rawlins has been a good addition to the side. He forms a partnership with Ravi Bopara and moves the score to 90 before getting caught leg before wicket for 33.
Harry Finch, on the other hand, lasts 11 balls, makes one run and is then bowled by Kyle Abbott.
When Head returns from whatever jamboree of pointless pyjama cricket he’s throwing his bat around at, there will be a (metaphorical – at this stage) bullet with Finch’s name on it. 92-5.
Then Ravi does what Ravi does best. Out for 22 off James Fuller. 92-6.
Jordan comes and goes for 2, 102-6. We end our 20 bog standard with overs 112 for 7. Almost certainly 30 runs light.
Hampshire’s Innings:
I chuck the ball to Olly Robinson. He goes for 11 off the opening over.
For the second over I instruct Mitchell Claydon to bowl full and keep James Vince and Rilee Rossouw off the back foot.
He responds by bowling a hideous, slow, loopy ball on a Yorker length that gets dispatched with the contempt it deserves.
Jordan and Rashid Khan come on. They take a liking to Khan and take him for 18.
They’re now 65-0 off six overs. We may have been more like 130 runs light.
Jordan bowls Vince. It’s a no ball. However, he gets his man last ball of the over, caught by Khan for 47.
Rossouw reaches 50 from 32 balls and Bopara serves up one of his wibbly wobbly medium pacers, and he’s caught behind by Jenner. 107-2.
Sam Northeast hits the winning runs as the sun firmly sets behind the pavilion at 20:50. We’ve lost by 8 wickets.
Again.
We’ve played 6. Lost 6 and we’re not even halfway through yet.
