Glamorgan opponents in the NatWest T20 Blast tonight are desperate for a victory to keep their quarter-final hopes alive this season – though Sussex Sharks are without their overseas bowling star Mustafizur Rahman.
With five victories, six defeats and two washouts from their 13 matches in the competition so far, it has been a mixed campaign for Luke Wright and his troops.
The Sharks have often challenged in the upper echelons of the South Group in recent years, but their T20 form has reflected their four-day form, as the South Coast side languish in the bottom half of the table in all three formats.
They might be without the explosive Rahman against Glamorgan tonight but Wright is able to recall his ace in the pack, England quickie Tymal Mills. The left-arm paceman, who missed the clash with Surrey last Friday due to an ankle niggle, returns to the squad for tonight’s match. But Sussex are also without Ross Taylor who has returned to play international cricket with New Zealand.
Sussex have named a 14-man squad which includes some unfamiliar faces, such as Barbados-born seamer Jofra Archer, 19-year-old North Wales-born batsman Phil Salt and young paceman George Garton – who has recently featured for the England Lions.
England's Chris Jordan will lead the attack alongside Mills, while the experienced pair of Wright and Chris Nash will likely open the batting as the Sharks chase a place in the knock-out stages.
"I'm not worried about the younger guys at the minute, a few of the senior guys have to got to stand up more, get bigger runs, and if we can do that with the white ball we'll be a much better side" said Sussex skipper Wright ahead of the match.
Sussex 14-man squad: Jofra Archer, Will Beer, Ben Brown, Danny Briggs, Craig Cachopa, Harry Finch, George Garton, Chris Jordan, Matt Machan, Tymal Mills, Chris Nash, Phil Salt, Ajmal Shahzad, Luke Wright (capt).
The NatWest T20 Blast clash gets underway tonight at 6.30pm at Hove.