11:00am Tuesday 31st August 2010
By Bruce Talbot
Skipper Mike Yardy insists Sussex can challenge for the Championship again next season if they get their winter recruitment right.
The county drew their top-two battle with Glamorgan at Hove yesterday but one win from their remaining two matches will secure the second division title while a handful of bonus points should be enough to guarantee promotion given that they are 41 clear of third-placed Worcestershire.
The county are hot favourites to land former England seamer Amjad Khan from Kent on a three-year contract and they may also strengthen their top order batting in the close season.
Yardy, who is likely to miss the last two games because of England’s one-day series against Pakistan next month, said work on strengthening the squad is already underway.
He said: “The process has started now. It is not a nice time for players who are out of contract and we will have to make valid judgements on them and then recruit to make sure we have a squad capable of not just staying up next season but competing at the top.
“It is difficult to say how many we need but we are trying to bring people in. We are looking like every county to improve our squad for guys who are going to make a big difference, not average players but players who can help us win trophies.”
The England one-day squad to face Pakistan in two t20 and five one-day internationals is due to be announced later today, assuming the series still goes ahead, and all-rounder Luke Wright enjoyed a timely return to form against the Welshmen.
After being ignored by his captain during the morning session, a fired-up Wright came on after lunch to take 4-24 in seven overs including three wickets in ten balls with Dean Cosker and David Harrison clean bowled in spectacular fashion.
Wright said: “It was nice to finally get the nod from Yards! I didn’t bowl for three weeks because of my knee injury and it can be hard to come straight back and pick up where you left off. I was a bit indifferent in the first innings so what happened yesterday was a good confidence boost.”
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