Sussex ready to go in t20

Sussex host the first of their group games tonight against Essex (7.10pm), with tickets available on the door, and coach Mark Robinson, Murray Goodwin, Wayne Parnell and Monty Panesar all spoke with enthusiasm about the upcoming t20 campaign.

Goodwin said: “We’re all looking forward to it and find it really exciting.

“I think we have got a really good balanced side and t20 can be something special for Sussex this season.”

Panesar, who did not play t20 cricket last summer, added: “I’m very excited about this format. My last t20 game was against Sussex on Finals Day playing for Northants.

“Luke Wright and Mike Yardy both helped England win the world t20 last year and I want to learn from them and be part of it – I want to play for England in all formats of the game.”

South African Parnell, who has been playing in the IPL, said: “I’ve played against guys all over the world and wherever you go, batters try to hit you out the park.

“But bowlers are a lot smarter now and you try to develop a basic game plan.

“I’ve been playing t20 and one-day cricket for the best part of the last five or six months now and I’m really excited about getting started for Sussex.

“Robinson added: “The games come think and fast and you can never get too high or too low. If you stay level-headed, you have got a chance. “We were the first team to go to India to play in the Champions League and that gives you the chance to play against all the other best teams in the world.

“We’re desperate to go back and have another crack at it.”

The Sussex squad for tonight is: WAT Beer, JS Gatting, MW Goodwin, AJ Hodd (wkt), CJ Liddle, CD Nash, R Naved-ul-Hasan, MS Panesar,

WD Parnell, L Vincent, LWP Wells, LJ Wright, MH Yardy (capt).