Henry Crocombe reacts to second Sussex hat-trick in eight days

The England Lions seamer will head to Surrey at the end of the season as a consequence of his home county’s financial restrictions.

He is going out with a bang, taking a hat-trick at home to Somerset last week and repeating the feat against Essex at Chelmsford.

Crocombe said he was not fully fit as he completed his latest treble, which helped Sussex take the last seven Essex wickets for just six runs.

But he sent Shane Snayter’s leg-stump cartwheeling to follow two lbw decisions.

Crocombe said: “It has not really sunk in yet. I don’t know what to say.

“Getting one is amazing but the second I just can’t believe it has happened.

“It all happens so quickly you can’t quite believe it. It’s good fun.

“Earlier in the day I had bowled okay. I was trying to find a decent length.

“There was a lot of bounce down the hill, bounce and carry, so I found it a bit tough to find a good length.

“So when I came back on, I tried to focus more on getting the ball up. It just went my way.

“I knew this time I was on a hat-trick!

“I was at the end of my run-up smiling, thinking it can’t happen again.

“I just tried to get a full, straight yorker in and see what happened.”

Crocombe made it clear he will leave Hove with a heavy heart when the time comes.

He added: “I’m always going to give my all for Sussex.

“It’s my club. I love playing here, love playing with the lads.

“They aren’t just my team-mates, they’re my mates, my friends. I always want to win for Sussex.

  “We’ve got injuries. I’ve got a dodgy shin, but it’s part and parcel of the game.

“There’s always going to be niggles at this time of the season.

“I think it helps that everyone wants to fight for each other and find a little extra.”

Sussex face Crocombe’s future employers Surrey at Hove from Tuesday.