Jason Gillespie has told his Sussex squad: “You’re ready to go.”

The county head to Birmingham today ahead of tomorrow’s Championship opener away to relegated Warwickshire.

As with all teams, Sussex have seen their pre-season programme affected by rain.

But head coach Gillespie said: “You can’t worry about the weather too much.

“You just have to make sure you make the most use of the facilities you can and we couldn’t have done any more.

“I am incredibly pleased with all our players.

“I’ve spoken to them a number of times in this last couple of weeks and their attitude to their prep, knowing conditions haven’t been ideal, has been really good.

“I couldn’t ask for any more of the lads.

“They are ready. Some of them might say ‘I need to bowl more overs’ or ‘I need to spend some more time in the middle’. But they are ready to go.

“Come day one in Birmingham we have to be ready to go so there are no excuses.

“The lads have prepared well and it’s time to get stuck into first-class cricket.”