Sussex CCC | Match Preview - 11/05/2023

A host of high-profile faces are set to descend on Uptonsteel County Ground this week, as Leicestershire welcome Sussex for round five of the County Championship.

The Foxes’ international quartet of Colin Ackermann, Rehan Ahmed, Peter Handscomb and Wiaan Mulder are set to do battle with the likes of Steve Smith and Cheteshwar Pujara in a star-studded fixture on Grace Road.

Leicestershire are looking to build on their unbeaten start to the new campaign against fellow undefeated side Sussex, with both perched on 52 points in hot pursuit of leaders Durham.

Paul Nixon’s side drew at Derbyshire last time out, while this week’s visitors shared the spoils at New Road against Worcestershire.

Last Time We Met:

Our last Championship encounter came at Hove in July 2022, as the records tumbled in an unforgettable fixture for the Foxes.

Leicestershire set their new record total of 756/4 declared, while Colin Ackermann and Wiaan Mulder set a new record partnership for the Club with a stand of 477*.

Both hit their career bests, with Ackermann unbeaten on 277 and Mulder 235 not out, while Louis Kimber hit his maiden first-class ton as the sides shared the points in the south coast sunshine.

Fox to Watch:

After falling an agonising one run shy of his maiden first-class century in that fixture at Hove, Rishi Patel has begun to show the signs of his prodigious talent in the early part of the 2023 season.

Cementing his place at the top of the order, Patel has already accrued 383 runs at an average of 63.83 in his first seven innings of the campaign, including two centuries, placing him as the division’s second highest run-scorer this term.

The 24-year-old hit his career-best score of 134* in Leicestershire’s last game on home soil, and will be key to the Foxes’ chances of getting a positive result again this time out.

Opposition Player to Watch:

From one opener to another. As simple as it would be to highlight the obvious importance of Smith and Pujara, it’s a homegrown hero who holds the key to laying the foundations for Sussex.

At just 22 years of age, Ali Orr averages 41.69 in first-class cricket, passing the 1,000-run mark in 2022. His 1047 runs last term came at 47.59, including three tons, bettered only by Pujara’s total of 1094 runs and five hundreds.

With a top score of 36 from his first six innings this time around, there’s a growing expectation that Orr is due a big score. The Foxes will be hoping he waits at least another week.

Squad:

Head Coach Paul Nixon has named an unchanged 13-strong squad for the visit of Sussex, with Will Davis and Louis Kimber both vying for a spot in the Foxes starting XI.

Leicestershire: Ackermann, Ahmed, Budinger, Davis, Finan, Handscomb, Hill*, Hull, Kimber, Mulder, Patel, Scriven, Wright.

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