Andy

Aug 22, 2026, 10:38:29 PM UTC

Completely mad game of cricket that was an utter nightmare from a supporters point of view. I had such a headache at the end walking back down the Pershore Road!

I dont think we were quite at the races with the ball this morning, we weren't poor or anything just a bit leaky and nowhere near as good as we were on the morning of Day 2. The pitch was very challenging throughout, we know Edgbaston can go all over the place when the clouds are in but even when the sun shone it was still doing all sorts. Think ive said after the games v Essex and Yorks that if we're gonna have pitches like this we may need to cut the batters a bit of slack. We bowled well enough but a little bit both sides of the wicket. Thought Sussex bowled really well throughout, barely bowled a bad ball, certainly not a bad spell. Crocombe genuinely rapid, Unadkat a constant threat from over or around and like I said yesterday I dont think ive ever seen Sean Hunt bowl badly.

Extras, I dont think Alex Davies had his best game behind the stumps but there was so much of those byes and leg eyes he simply couldn't prevent. I mean he was good standing up to Ethan Bamber on a bit of an up and down wicket, some genuinely good takes, there's nothing he can do when the bowler is chucking it down leg though. You've gotta bowl very straight if yer gonna have the keeper up. As for the leg byes, yeah a couple I looked at Davies and thought maybe could do better but some of them were just rank poor deliveries clipping the batters heel and flying away for 4. John Simpson, it must be said, was exemplary.

We gave away 64 extras in the game, Sussex gave away 7.

Having tried to stand up for Alex Davies behind the sticks, I can't defend him in front of the sticks, he's in a right old mess here. At one point yesterday the ball went past him and only then did he get in position to play a leave. Just all over the shop. Actually feel sorry for him at this point.

Vansh, fair play to him, I was a bit severe on him after ODC game away at Somerset, he was terrific here though, so assured straight and through extra cover. Powerful timing. He does seem to get squared up a little bit (might have been the pitch?) so thats something to keep an eye on.

Mousley, getting a bit weird all this is. His game awareness is shocking. 2 out on the pull at one point towards the bigger side and he went for it 3 times, got one run, so much risk under the circumstances for such minimal reward. Even the 6 he did hit off Tom Clark was made with 2 men out, you appreciated the 6 but it really wasn't bright cricket. His dismissal, the floodlights had just come on, Jani had slowed right up, needed to knuckle down and work through, especially keeping in mind wickets have fallen in clusters all game...so to see him advancing down the track at Sean Hunt and skying to mid off was maddening. I don't want to sound too harsh, he's our top scorer in this game both innings combined, but he's far too good a player for such foolishness. Some of his shots down the ground and through mid wicket today were beautiful, he actually looks in nick, but he gives it away so much. Done it twice in 2 days this weekend.

A famous win, we'd have certainly lost under Robinson, we've improved so much under Westwood simply from us being much more resilient and being able to stay in games. We'll need to be better v Notts though.

Re, the OHD dead ball call near the end, bit harsh in my opinion, definitely wouldn't have been called a dead ball at half 11 this morning, nobody would have taken any notice would have just jogged through for the extra. Need more consistency from umpires.

Hain was doing some jogging on the outfield at lunch albeit with a knee brace on, he looked to be moving ok. If he's available v Notts we should maybe drop Zen, open with Young and have Hain in at his usual 4?

Member

Are you sure?