Sussex CCC | County Championship Match Preview | 23/06/2024

After eight Vitality Blast matches, Leicestershire are swapping the white ball for a red one as County Championship cricket resumes on Sunday.

The Foxes make the journey down to Hove to take on Sussex in what’s set to be a glorious week on the south coast.

With seven draws from seven so far, Leicestershire will be bidding to a win to their unbeaten start. By contrast, Sussex have three victories “ sitting top of the table at the midway point of the campaign.

Last Time We Met:

Leicestershire earned a hard-fought draw, with a little assistance from some final-day rain, during the reverse fixture at Uptonsteel County Ground in April.

Liam Trevaskis hit 82 on debut, while Rishi Patel (87) and Peter Handscomb (51) also looked in good touch with the bat in the first innings.

The Foxes found it tough going with the ball, although Matt Salisbury (3/77) added to his fine showing against Sussex at Hove (5/73) the previous time the sides met.

Fox to Watch:

Wiaan Mulder’s return to Leicestershire’s ranks is a timely one. A player who adds runs and wickets aplenty, his skills will be a big boost to Lewis Hill’s team this week.

The all-rounder has scored 1,032 runs at an average of 36.85 in his two seasons with the Foxes, adding 40 wickets in that time too “ with his prowess with the new ball potentially pivotal to the team’s current makeup.

Middle order runs are also his forte “ particularly at Hove “ where he made a career-high 235 not out in the 2022 campaign en route to helping set Leicestershire’s highest ever total of 756/4.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Daniel Hughes is set to make his red-ball debut for Sussex this week after an impressive block of T20 appearances for the Sharks.

The Australian has scored 280 runs at 35 from his eight matches so far, striking at a rapid 173.91. He’ll no doubt have to be more reserved this week, but his first-class stats are just as impressive “ scoring just shy of 5,000 career runs at 36.87 for New South Wales.

The 35-year-old has big boots to fill, as he takes over from Sussex’s leading run-scorer, Cheteshwar Pujara “ who had added 501 runs from only nine innings this term.

Squad:

Wiaan Mulder returns to the four-day squad for the first time this season, as does Lewis Goldsworthy who extended his loan earlier in the week to cover the next two Championship fixtures.

Rehan Ahmed (concussion), Liam Trevaskis (back), and Tom Scriven (hamstring) remain sidelined.

Leicestershire: Cox+, Currie, Goldsworthy, Handscomb, Hill*, Holland, Hull, Kimber, Mike, Mulder, Patel, Salisbury, Swindells.