Wright extends Sussex contract

Luke Wright has signed a new three-year contract with Sussex, which will keep him at Hove until the end of the 2012 season.

Wright, 24, scored 637 first-class runs at an average of 49 in 2009, with three centuries to his name, and he performed with the ball as well, taking two five-wicket hauls in the campaign.

Those efforts earned him a call-up to England's Test squad for the tour of South Africa, having already made his mark in the limited-overs sides.

"The contract extension is exciting for me and I want to be a big part of a bright future for the club," said Wright. "I love playing for Sussex and the county have been great in helping me achieve my goal of playing for England. I look forward to winning more trophies with this remarkable club in years to come."

Mark Robinson, Professional Cricket Manager, said: "Luke is one of the most exciting young players in the country and we're delighted that he has committed to the club for the immediate future."

Subscribe in a reader

Sussex sign Monty Panesar

Monty Panesar has ended a ten-year association with Northamptonshire, after agreeing to join Sussex on a three-year contract in a bid to reclaim his England place.

Panesar, who is currently playing for Highveld Lions in South Africa, has taken 126 wickets in 34 Test appearances for England. But his career stalled during a disappointing 2009 season, in which he managed just 18 wickets for Northants at almost 60 runs apiece. His only Test of the summer came at Cardiff in July, when his batting helped to salvage a crucial draw.

"Success in this new challenge with Sussex can only improve my chances of reclaiming my place with England, which is the pinnacle for any player," said Panesar. "I am grateful to Northamptonshire for all their support in my career so far and for allowing me to make this move."

Panesar can expect to return to Wantage Road next season after Sussex were relegated to the second division of the County Championship. But having picked up three titles in the 2000s, they remain an ambitious club and have targeted an instant return to the top flight.

"I know [the captain] Michael Yardy well from rooming with him on tour," said Panesar. "I am really looking forward to working under his captaincy, and with the coaching staff at Hove, to help the club reclaim its Division One status and maintain its premier position in the shorter forms of the game."

Sussex's manager Mark Robinson said he was "very excited" about the impending arrival of Panesar. "It is testament to the club that we are able to attract a player of Monty's calibre," he said. "I am sure he will play a key part in helping us achieve our aims for the coming season."

Hove is a venue with a great tradition of spin bowling, and the absence last season of the legendary Mushtaq Ahmed was cited as a major factor in their relegation. The Indian legspinner Piyush Chawla managed to claim 36 wickets in six Championship games, but he has since gone on to sign for Surrey.

Panesar's former employers were phlegmatic about his departure, and in a press release the club stated that "both Monty and Northants feel that it is right for [him] to find a new challenge and try to regain the form that made him arguably the best fingerspinner in the world."

"I have known and worked with Monty since he was a 16-year-old," said the head coach, David Capel, "and have really enjoyed seeing his rise from determined youngster with potential to becoming a full England representative. Over the years we have spent many enjoyable hours working together and wish to thank him for his contributions to Northants cricket.

"I am sad that Monty is moving on, however as a coach and a supporter of English cricket I am sure that a move at this stage of his career is the right thing for Monty. I am sure he will relish the new challenge ahead of him, everyone at Northants wishes him well and look forward to seeing Monty regaining his place in the England team".

Subscribe in a reader

Yasir Arafat retained by Sussex

Yasir Arafat has been retained by Sussex as their overseas player for the 2010 season.

Yasir played a big part in Sussex's one-day success during 2009, as the side won both the NatWest Pro40 and Twenty20 competitions. The club also finished runners-up in the Friends Provident Trophy.

His contribution was 24 wickets at 25.83 in List A matches and he also took 15 wickets at an average of 14.00 in Twenty20 matches, going at just 6.08 an over.

"I'm delighted to be coming back to Sussex for the 2010 season," said Yasir. "When I played my first year at the club in 2006, I was determined to return in the future. I did that last season and enjoyed every minute of it.

"Although we did not do so well in the Championship, our one-day form was tremendous and it was a joy to be part of that. I look forward to 2010 and returning to a great bunch of players, coaching staff and supporters with a view to improving on 2009."

Mike Yardy, Sussex's captain, said: "Yasir played an integral part in our successes last season and it is great for us to secure him for 2010. He is a huge team man, who has a great influence in the dressing room."

Subscribe in a reader

Eagles end Sussex's hopes

Diamond Eagles ended Sussex's Airtel Champions League campaign by defeating the Sharks in a 'Super Over' after scores were tied.
Sussex managed only 119 for seven, Joe Gatting top-scoring with 25 and Ed Joyce contributing 21.

Opener Rilee Rossouw hit 65 off 62 balls as the Eagles appeared set to reach their target easily.

But Sharks spinners Piyush Chawla and Rory Hamilton-Brown pulled things back, and the South Africans managed only to tie scores - 119 for four.

The 'Super Over' rule - an extra over with teams permitted only three batsmen and one bowler and the 'innings' ending if a side loses two wickets - was applied.

The Eagles managed 10, while Sussex lost two wickets off the first two deliveries to hand their opponents victory and a berth in the second round.

Luke Wright had given Sussex some momentum with the bat at the start of the match.

But after clubbing Cornelius de Villiers for a six and four, he lost his off-stump attempting another big hit to leg.

Chris Nash followed his opening partner back, the first of Dillon du Preez's two victims - and de Villiers pulled off a spectacular caught and bowled to send back Hamilton-Brown.

Joyce and captain Michael Yardy - back after missing his team's first match against New South Wales Blues because of an illness - briefly held the innings together.

But it was the stand between Joyce and Gatting which carried Sussex past the 100-run mark.

Gatting, by far the most fluent of Sussex's batsmen, dominated a 29-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Rossouw's response on a low and slow surface contained some powerful hitting down the ground, as the Eagles' chase began well.

He smacked five boundaries and two towering sixes inside the first six overs and brought up his half-century in just 39 deliveries.

The left-hander's opening partner Adrian McLaren contributed only 16 in an opening stand worth 72.

Rossouw was dropped on 26 by James Kirtley at short fine-leg; wicketkeeper Andy Hodd missed a chance offered by McLaren on 10.

Chawla, who eventually accounted for McLaren, missed an obvious chance to run out Rossouw at the non-striker's end just after the batsman had reached his 50.

The Eagles were on course. But Chawla applied the brakes with his leg-breaks.

Off-spinner Hamilton-Brown then bowled Boeta Dippenaar and dismissed Rossouw too in the penultimate over.

The Eagles needed 12 off the last over, and Pakistan seamer Yasir Arafat conceded three singles first up.

But Ryan McLaren managed an inside-edged boundary off the fourth and then struck another four over midwicket to tie the scores.

Arafat was nominated for the 'Super Over' and conceded nine runs, for the wicket of Rossouw - who was run out.

For the Eagles, De Villiers bowled Dwayne Smith and Hamilton Brown with his first two deliveries.

The teams:
Eagles: RR Rossouw, HH Dippenaar, AP McLaren, MN van Wyk†, RT Bailey, R McLaren, AK Kruger, D du Preez, CJD de Villiers, T Tshabalala, PV Mpitsang

Sussex: CD Nash, LJ Wright, RJ Hamilton-Brown, DR Smith, EC Joyce, JS Gatting, MH Yardy, PP Chawla, Yasir Arafat, RJ Kirtley, AJ Hodd

Sussex fight back, eliminator to decide result

Sussex 119 for 7 (Gatting 25, de Villiers 2-20, du Preez 2-23) tied with Eagles 119 for 4 (Rossouw 65, Chawla 2-17, Hamilton-Brown 2-15)

A desperate swing by Ryan McLaren off the last ball of the chase went screeching towards the deep midwicket boundary to seal the first tie of the Champions League which would be decided by the one-over eliminator. The Eagles were cruising to victory at one stage in the chase of a modest 120 but suddenly started to crumble under pressure in the last five overs. Yasir Arafat leaked 11 off the final over and took the ball again for Sussex for the one-over shootout.

20 overs Sussex 119 for 7 (Gatting 25, de Villiers 2-20, du Preez 2-23) v Eagles

The stakes were high in this knockout clash in Group A, but at the end of 20 overs it was difficult to place bets on a winner. Sussex opted to bat but the top order failed to give a good account of themselves against the Eagles, who put in a disciplined and enthusiastic performance in the field. Sussex limped to 119, below-par by Twenty20 standards, but a potentially match-wining one on a typically slow-and-low pitch at the Feroz Shah Kotla.

The Sussex openers came out with a clear-cut plan to get off to a blazing start before scoring became difficult against the slower bowlers. With the strong possibility of the odd ball keeping low, going by the trend of the earlier games, the strategy was to chip down the track, get close to the pitch of the ball and muscle it over the infield.

Not that it worked consistently for Sussex. Luke Wright, making his first appearance after a one-match absence, wasted no time in settling in as he sent his first ball over the sightscreen. He followed that up with another clean hit against Cornelius de Villiers before the bowler hit back in the same over by knocking back the off stump following an overconfident swish across the line. Sussex lost their trump card at the top and the batsmen rarely dominated since his departure.

Chris Nash and Rory Hamilton-Brown too perished trying to force the pace. While Nash offered a dolly to mid-on, Hamilton-Brown's flat-batted slap would have screeched down the ground in normal circumstances, but de Villiers' lightning reflexes got in the way. The bowler managed to cup it with both hands low to his right despite having to change direction in his follow through.

With the wicketkeeper upto the stumps, Sussex found it difficult to hit with confidence. Their top draw in the middle order, Dwayne Smith, too struggled to put the ball away and in frustration, inside edged onto his off stump. Michael Yardy and Ed Joyce had to grind it out by picking up the singles. There staged a brief recovery with a fifth-wicket stand of 24 before Yardy chopped Ryan Bailey onto his stumps.

Sussex couldn't push on for a while after he departed and the boundary drought lasted 32 balls before Joe Gatting clubbed du Preez over deep midwicket. Gatting and Piyush Chawla tried to push the scoring towards the end and succeeded in finding a couple of boundaries. Victoria found it hard to chase a similar score earlier in the evening, and Eagles will know their task won't be very easy in this winner-takes-all clash.

Subscribe in a reader