Lions eat Sharks

 Hi everyone !


I finished Dianne's Action List & set off for the Oval for Surrey Lions v Sussex Sharks in the CB40 Semi-final.


Had just got to the ground ... when the rain started.

A mere 3 hours later ... &  we were ready to go for a 24 overs a side match.


Sussex did have by the far the worst of the weather for bowling & fielding.
   But frankly it didn't really make any difference to the result.


Surrey set off at 10 runs an over & maintained that rate throughout their innings, finishing on 228 for 7. 
There was 60 from Maynard &  Zander de Bruyn hit 43 off 28 balls.


Sussex were soon in trouble with Matt Prior out for 7.
Only Joyce & Nash got more than 20 in Sussex's 157 all out.


It was a tremendous afternoon for Chris Adams, Surrey's cricket manager, who led Sussex to so much success *, and Rory Hamilton-Brown, the Surrey captain, who returned to the Oval from Hove.


* 
It all happened for Chris after he sat next to me at the Cricketer of the Year Awards, where I was a guest of Steve Tinton''s
   Probably just a co-incidence !!


The sooner Sussex get him back as their Manager, the better !


On the day the only thing that Sussex won was having the noisier spectators:

The chaps who always sit at the Cromwell Road end at Hove near the beer tent were out in force ; just below the flag in the photo above.
Having made good use of the 3 hours break for rain ... they were in fine voice.
But to no avail !!




So it's onwards to Lords for the CB40 Final : Somerset v Surrey.
I'm meeting Alastair Cook.
I expect he'll be asking for some advice on his batting !!






Lord Ric