CRICKET manager Mark Robinson believes Sussex Sharks’ CB 40 game against the ECB Unicorns today is a potential banana skin.

The Sharks will field their strongest possible team against the Unicorns, whose side is made up of the best players from the Minor Counties, University and Premier League club cricket. They are captained by former Somerset all-rounder Keith Parsons and include several players with first-class experience.

Robinson said: “We haven’t played a lot of one-day cricket since we got back from Abu Dhabi so there is no thought of resting anyone at this stage.

“We will prepare and practice as we normally do and treat the opposition with the respect they deserve because it is a potential banana skin.”

Sussex’s bid for a hat-trick of 40 overs titles began with a comfortable five-wickets win over Worcestershire last Sunday.

With the likes of skipper Mike Yardy, Ed Joyce and Luke Wright unavailable Robinson has few options if he wants to alter the balance of the side by leaving out a batsman and playing an all-rounder such as Ollie Rayner, who took four wickets for the second team in a Twenty20 game last Tuesday.

Robinson added: “Ollie was close last week and we will look at the wicket before deciding anything but without the guys who are missing and the likes of Dwayne Smith and Rory Hamilton-Brown, who were both front-line bowlers and batsmen last year, the balance of the side is different.”

The match starts at 1.45pm.

Sussex (probable): Prior, Thornely, Nash, Goodwin, Gatting, Martin-Jenkins, Hodd, Rana Naved, Keegan, Panesar, Kirtley.

ECB Unicorns (possible): Parsons, Thompson, Murtagh, Durston, O’Shea, Knappett, Hancock, Querl, Peploe, Mees.