First game of Season 2013

A lovely sunny day on Friday for my first game of Season 2013.

Sussex v Warwickshire in the LV championship – Day 3. At Hove; Obviously !

A smallish crowd had a very enjoyable day.

Sussex resumed this morning on 129-1, with the in-form Luke Wells unbeaten on 76.

Wells, who scored a maiden double century against Surrey the previous week, then fell four runs short of another century when Rankin yorked him to reduce the hosts to 186-3.

That brought England wicket-keeper Matt Prior to the crease and he soon injected some much needed gusto to help increase the run rate, scoring 42 from 40 balls to help Sussex past 250 before he too was caught behind.

Ben Brown was settling in well at the other end and with Chris Jordan as his new partner, the duo pushed Sussex past the 350 mark and within 100 runs of their opponents, with Brown passing fifty for his third half century in four first class innings this summer.

Brown was 82 not out at the close, while Anyon was unbeaten on 19, with Sussex 416-7 – just 37 runs behind the county champions going into the last day's play.

The draw seemed the most likely outcome with just one day's play remaining.

And so it proved with the final day being rained off !

On Bank Holiday Monday it was back to the ground for a lunch in celebration of Christopher Martin-Jenkins & Tony Greig who both died during the winner.

In the audience were Michael Atherton , Alan Lee & John Woodcock from The Times.

And some well-remembered Sussex cricketers from the 1970's, including John Snow, Peter Graves, John Spencer & Young Jim Parks.

Good speeches from Peter Baxter (former BBC Test Match Special Producer) & especially from John Barclay (former Sussex Captain).

John’s memories of playing for Sussex under Greigy reminded me of playing under Arthur Edwards for Tunbridge Wells Borderers in the 1970’s … but that’s a story for another day !!

Hope to see you at a game SOON !!

Lord Ric