11:00am Thursday 26th August 2010
By Bruce Talbot
Sussex will almost certainly have to do without key all-rounders Luke Wright and Mike Yardy in their CB40 finale next week.
Both are expected to be in the England squad for the limited overs series against Pakistan which starts with a t20 international on September 5, the day after Sussex conclude their Group A games at home to Surrey Lions.
That has become a must-win for the Sharks after last night’s encounter with Glamorgan Dragons was abandoned without a ball bowled at Hove.
Heavy and continuous rain, with no prospect of an improvement, left umpires Peter Willey and Nigel Cowley with the formality of abandoning the game shortly after it was due to start at 4.40pm.
Sussex picked up one point and have closed to within a point of leaders Somerset but their only hope of reaching the semi-finals on September 11 is as the best runner-up from the three groups.
They need results in the other sections to go their way if they are to do that.
Coach Mark Robinson said: “It is disappointing. We have still got a sniff because other results have fallen for us recently and we have to hope that continues.
“We have played some outstanding cricket in recent games in the CB40, especially batting-wise, in what has been overall a frustrating one-day series.
“We are a better team than our results suggest.
“We got ourselves in a poor place in mid-season and have made it hard for ourselves but because of the remarkable character in this dressing room the boys won’t give it away.”
Meanwhile, the Division Two leaders are expected to name an unchanged side when they take on second-placed Glamorgan in the LV County Championship at Hove tomorrow.
Glamorgan will be without skipper Jamie Dalrymple, who has a broken finger.
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