Abject Middlesex

I got to watch the Sussex v Middlesex match at Hove today and Middlesex really were terrible. The wicket wasn't fantastic but they really did give their wickets away in ways that a club team would have felt embarrassed about. David Malan chipping it straight to short cover and Neil Dexter clipping the ball straight to deep square leg were perhaps the two worst, and only Berg emerged with any credit at all.

The game was over at the half way point really, but Middlesex weren't great in the field either with Joyce and Luke Wright making the chase look absurdly easy....which it was!

I find it hard to believe that Middlesex could play worse than that, but a good day to be a Sussex supporter...

Irish cricket going in the right direction

It seems things are going well in Ireland with Connacht becoming the fifth provincial cricket union in the country. It's going to be overseen by President Jody Morgan, father of Eoin...I assume he has some credentials for the job over and above being Eion's father, although the piece doesn't mention them if he has!

And on top of that Ed Joyce has been cleared to play in the World Cup - great news for Ireland.

Joyce in, Gatting out for Sussex

As expected, Sussex have dropped Joe Gatting and are bringing in Ed Joyce for their match against Northants. They're also taking Ollie Rayner and Will Beer to cover for Panesar who is on England duty....

Beer therefore won't be around to play for Horsham against Steyning on Thursday, but rumour has it that they may be playing their overseas player, Fahad Masood. Looking at his playing history which seems to include playing for Pakistan A, it could be a short game if Steyning bat first and he's opening the bowling!

Ed Joyce in for Joe Gatting?

After his first innings duck Joe Gatting got 31 in the second innings v Cambridge MCCU at more than a run a ball, but I still think Ed Joyce will play the next Sussex Championship match v Northants.