The talk was that Woakes was behind the likes of Curran, Atkinson, Wood, Topley, Mills and Archer if fit. That definitely seems to have changed with this tour with Curran, Atkinson and Mills all struggling.
Also, there was a lot of rumour that the English players who dropped out of last years IPL might struggle to get picked up. As the Indians famously don’t like their competition being shunned. Though Woakes has just gone in the IPL auction. So got to agree, as over the course of a few days, Woakes’ positioning has changed hugely. Looks like we won’t see him at all.

Wouldn’t surprise me if asked to go. He’ll want to play all formats and that’s a chance he’ll get at Middlesex.
Just didn’t get a run of games in red ball and I think that really prevented him playing to his potential and just bowling with rhythm.
From what I’ve heard, we might be able to get Woakes a decent amount for the first half of next season. The rumour being these t20 internationals in the West Indies right now are a trial as to whether to take him to the T20 World Cup there in June.
So Henry’s opportunities would have been even more limited if Woakes didn’t make the cut.

Some of the squad decisions have been rather odd of late, this one included.
Proven players getting short term deals, fringe or unproven talents getting long ones, homegrown players shown the door for older but less experienced recruits.
I think we all know Robbo plays favourites, but some of this could really come back to bite him if he’s not careful.

Looks like Garton got out of Sussex at the right time.
The situation at Sussex right now seems a real mess.

The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Inside-edge wrote:

https://edgbaston.com/news/class-of-24-bright-future-for-academy-prospects/

Shame, no names are mentioned, other than the 4 we know about. Another example of the Media Department falling down on the job.

But you know when they put out another post about Edgbaston still being available for Christmas party bookings, conferences or weddings, that it’ll be perfectly written, professional and all bases covered.

What I would say is that I feel a top 3 batsman might be best to be avoided as captain. Because it’s our big weakness, and in a purely performance sense, those players need to concentrate on their batting. They can provide leadership through runs and performances.

Personally I’ve never been one for bowlers as captains, can be hard to juggle the physical demands with the mental, and choosing when to bring yourself on, plus the higher potential for injuries.

So just my view that really limits it to Hain, Mousley, Barnard and Burgess. Though I suspect it won’t be one of those.

Heard about it back in the middle of summer, so not really a surprise.
Looks as though Davies will be appointed as club captain, and the coronation will be complete. Who knows, maybe the captaincy will bring the best out of him.
But can’t help but feel, this has been a process which ends with Davies as captain and keeper in all formats and it’s basically been Robinsons plan all along.

Apparently there’s a clause in there that states he’ll return for finals day if they qualify and the final championship phase in September.
Obviously requiring that at least one of those is relevant to us winning something still.

That’s where I’m worried. Signings like this, I’m assuming he wasn’t cheap, suggest a prioritisation of T20. And as such take money away from potential CC reinforcements. There’s only so much in the budget after all.

Unsurprisingly Stokes is going to have knee surgery after this World Cup. Apparently should be fit for the India tour.
But with his performances so far, you’ve got to think this was probably a hurdle to far for his body, and considering he can barely run let alone bowl, this seems inevitable and probably makes his decision to play even more questionable.

I’m going on the assumption that his record will get better when he is playing with the likes of OHD and Rushworth, and on fair contest pitches, where sides need to score against him. Rather than in a pretty poor attack on a Hove pitch that’s been flat as a pancake for the last few years. Also looking at his stats the bulk of his red ball matches have been much earlier in his career when much younger. But we will see.

Part of me wonders if a signing like this, plus Booth, might make us sign a second red ball overseas for the first part of the season.
Get a batsman and seamer. Then during or after the T20, when we typically see a changing of the overseas, Garton might fancy playing some red ball like Maxwell did last season, and we may then only need 1 overseas going forward. But from the sounds of it, Robinson isn’t expecting him to play any red ball cricket in the first part of the season.

I do wonder how much we’re paying him. Because white ball contracts now for players like him are essentially t20 blast contracts.

So assuming we get all the way to the final of the blast and he plays all 17 matches and bowls his full allocation of 4 overs in each, you’re paying for 68 overs a year. Plus him swinging the long handle with a couple of quick 30’s a year.
So I do hope the pay matches that, as too many top players who give everything in all formats are getting 1 year deals and fighting for extensions whilst we see the likes of Booth and Garton getting handed 3 years.

Judging by his skill set, and what we’ve heard about Henry Brookes recently, seems like he’s going to be a replacement for Henry in T20.
Booth seems more akin to Norwell, bit of pace, bowls a heavy ball.
Guessing how much both play in red ball this season will depend on their fitness, injuries and who the overseas is.

Just listened to the interview. Seems from what Booth is saying that the club see him as an out and out pace bowler who’s pace is his ultimate weapon.
From what I saw in the couple of 50 over matches and the seconds highlights, he didn’t seem to be bowling that fast.
So I don’t know what they’ve seen, but it’s interesting that’s their approach and what they want him for.
Wonder if they see him as a Norwell replacement (because let’s be honest he’s not getting another deal), bowl a heavy ball and get wickets in less helpful conditions.

Looking at that. I am starting to understand why so many players fled Sussex like rats on a sinking ship over the last 3 years.
Compare the statement Middlesex or Durham gave about Jon Simpson or Rushworth leaving, to the whole short paragraph Sussex managed to put together about Garton.
I understand he hasn’t been there as long and isn’t of the same stature. But he’s a homegrown, England capped player, you’d have thought they’d be able to at least, even if through gritted teeth, put together a nicer send off.

Would be a shame, and once again a failure in part by the club to bring through a young home grown fast bowler to be a consistent long term contributor.
Though I feel the injuries have played a big part in this.
He almost looks like he’s trying too hard in T20 and 50 over. Trying to prove he’s still one of the fastest around.
In red ball, it’s more like he knows he’s always a stop gap, so unless he takes a 5 wicket haul he’s getting dropped, so he bowls like he has to take a wicket every ball. Trying too much, not just getting into a rhythm and hitting the top of off for 10-12 balls in a row. I think it’s why he did well on loan, he knew he was going to play so was more relaxed about his approach.

I’ve no idea either way. All I know is what my friend has told me. Though from the sounds of it, most of the people on his message board are sad to see him go.

What might be driving the forcing to buy it out is that Sussex apparently are in a tough place budget-wise.
Their entire financial plan was heavily reliant on updating the offices at the sea end of the ground and then leasing them out, but since Covid the demand for office space has gone off a cliff and they can’t lease them. The club are now having to work out how to sustain itself financially, and needing to be prudent financially.

Interesting one from a Sussex fan friend of mine.
Apparently Gartons mum is a rabid Sussex fan, and she posted that essentially Garton fell out with Farbrace and asked to be released from his contract.
Robinson used Burgess and Briggs as examples of players who’ve made the same move and succeeded as a way to convince Garton to sign for the Bears, as he had a lot of other suitors.

The fall out, (again according to Gartons mother) was from earlier in the season when multiple times Farbrace wouldn’t pick him and kept claiming to the press that he was injured despite Garton saying he was fit and made himself available to play all formats.
Some Sussex fans think this is a combination of Farbrace thinking Garton was unreliable fitness wise and was trying to push him out as he’s an expensive player and they have some money issues caused by Rob Andrew, and want to make some big overseas signings to bolster an inexperienced side.

I really don’t understand this club sometimes.
We release homegrown prospects like Johal and Garrett. But sign an identical player from South Africa on a 3 year deal.
I mean a 3 year deal?!?!?

I wish him all the best, but seems baffling to me.
Half expecting a bowling version of Benjamin. 1 breakout performance, and to live out the rest of his time based on reputation.