MATCH PREVIEW: Sussex Sharks v Lancashire Lightning
Lancashire are back in familiar territory, fighting for another Vitality Blast title.
Sussex Sharks v Lancashire Lightning
Vitality Blast, Quarter-Final
Wednesday September 4, 2024
The 1st Central County Ground, Hove
The Lightning have reached the quarter-finals on 17 occasions, including this, and are chasing a second title.
There would be absolutely no complaints if the Red Rose secured a repeat of the 2020 quarter-final when they beat the Sharks at Hove by 45 runs, bowling them out for 95 in pursuit of 141.
Phil Salt and Luke Wells are preparing to return to their former county, who finished second in the South Group to Lancashire’s third in the North.
Salt will be one of a number of England players available across both sides.
Sussex have the competition’s leading run-scorer in the competition in their ranks; the Australian overseas opener Daniel Hughes who has amassed 560 runs.
Lancashire and Sussex have only met twice in the history of the Vitality Blast, both quarter-finals at Hove in 2011 and 2020. The Red Rose won them both.
Lancashire also beat Sussex at Hove in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup semi-finals in 2022.
Opposition:
Sussex, like Lancashire, are one-time winners of this competition, triumphing in 2009.
They will be confident of adding to that number having finished second in the South with nine wins from their 14 games. A positive for Lancashire is that three of their five defeats came at Hove.
Not only do the Sharks have the leading run-scorer in the competition in their ranks in the aforementioned Daniel Hughes, they also have the Blast’s third leading wicket-taker in England’s left-arm quick Tymal Mills, who has taken 24 wickets this term.
Alongside Hughes, Sussex have fielded fellow Australian Nathan McAndrew, the experienced seamer, as their other overseas player. He has taken 14 wickets.
They are coached by Paul Farbrace, the ex-England assistant coach, and Mills has captained them through the majority of the competition.
Unfortunately, the Sharks will be unable to field former Lancashire all-rounder Danny Lamb, who suffered a shoulder injury during their group match against Middlesex at Hove in late July and was forced to undergo surgery.
He was immediately ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Opposition player to watch:
It has to be Daniel Hughes, the experienced Australian who has been in exceptional form during his spell of county cricket.
Left-handed opener Hughes, 35, is a serial Big Bash League winner in the colours of Sydney Sixers at home. He has posted standout Blast scores of 74, 81 and 96 not out.
In beating Derbyshire at Hove in last week’s Vitality County Championship match, Hughes scored 144 in the first innings for the Division Two leaders.
It’s no surprise, therefore, that he has already signed a deal to return to the South Coast to play Championship and Blast cricket in 2025.
Hughes is not a fire and brimstone type T20 cricketer, more so a player with deceptive power and plenty of class.
Previous meeting:
Clashes between Lancashire and Sussex in Blast cricket are rare, but Lightning fans will be hoping the trend continues given they have won the previous two meetings - both quarter-finals at Hove.
The Lightning won at Hove in 2011 by 20 runs, a team including the likes of Farveez Maharoof and Junaid Khan. Steven Croft captained and is the only survivor in the current squad.
But we are concentrating on 2020, October 1 no less.
It was the Covid summer, hence the date. After all, the season only started at the beginning of August, and unfortunately Lancashire would go on to lose their semi-final against Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston.
However, victory in the last eight at Hove was mightily impressive - by 45 runs on the back of a stunning bowling display.
Croft top-scored with 41 off 37 balls, while captain Dane Vilas added 40 off 28 as the visitors posted 140-8 on a sluggish pitch, a fact highlighted by success of the Lightning’s spinners in defence.
Sussex were bowled out for just 95 as Liam Livingstone and Matt Parkinson routed the Sharks by sharing seven wickets. Livingstone led the way with 4-23 from 3.2 overs and Parkinson added 3-9 from three overs.
Added to a wicket for Tom Hartley, and Lancashire’s spinners returned a combined tally of 8-50 in 9.2 overs as victory was secured with 16 balls to spare.
What they said:
Key man Luke Wells has been excellent in this summer’s Vitality Blast, scoring 227 runs at the top of Lancashire’s order added to 11 wickets with his leg-spin and seven catches to boot.
He returns to his former stomping ground at Hove brimming with confidence, and the all-rounder can’t wait to take his place amongst a host of internationals on show across both teams.
It will be a tough Red Rose team to pick at Hove, that’s for sure.
“Exactly,” said Wells. “But you’d rather be in that position than having to scrape the barrel to find a strong eleven.
“There’s going to be some great players on show - international quality on both teams. To be a part of it is awesome.
“And what a great feeling it would be for me to impact the game with bat and ball and help us win the game, get to Finals Day and hopefully go a step further than we did a couple of years ago (beaten finalists against Hampshire in 2022).
“It should be a really exciting game, and hopefully we can get the win.”
Wells left Sussex to join Lancashire ahead of the 2021 season, and he has impressed across all formats. His white ball development has been highlighted by not only his Blast returns this summer but also his involvement in the Hundred with the Welsh Fire for the last two seasons.
He added: “From a personal point of view, going back to my old club to play a quarter-final is a pretty special occasion.
“I’ve already played a knockout game there before. We played a semi-final in the 50-over competition there a couple of years ago, and we managed to win that game. That was a great day.
“I think this has got the chance to be a bigger and better day.
“Obviously, T20 is an exciting format, and Sussex have played some seriously good cricket this year. But as have we.”
How’s Stat!
Lancashire are aiming for a 10th Finals Day appearance.
They have qualified for the Blast showpiece occasion in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2022.