McManus opening for Northants. Interesting. Looks like Chris Lynn pulled out sick fairly late, so Lewis presumably wasn't expecting this earlier today.
Surrey were maybe slightly under par tonight. So to get the required run rate back up to where it should have been, Denly has decided just to block.
Surreal to think that we were one over away from a Kent-Hants final last season. 9 defeats from 9 this season. The only two sides without a win, in either group.
T20 can vary a lot from season to season though - overseas signings have a huge impact if you get them right.
If we were in any sort of form with the bat, this would likely have been a thrilling chase coming up. But as it is, there's probably only a remote chance of that.
I'm still waiting to understand how Brook was left out of the XI. You could very easily make a case for him starting ahead of Pope or Foakes. Maybe Bairstow too.
Vince coming back in for Gubbins is no surprise. Reverting back to six bowlers, with Donald making way, is no surprise. But Albert for Weatherley is a little surprising. Yes, Joe hasn't fired yet, but no-one has other than Fuller. I think four games is maybe slightly too early to have dropped him. No Mills, Garton or Khan; Jordan has moved to Surrey; this is not the usual super-strength Sussex attack - maybe it could have been the chance for Joe to fire at last?
You just know that this is the match that Luke Wright finally takes off in this competition.... *reverse jinx
It's annoying that we lost the toss. This isn't the greatest Sussex batting line-up, but they do have a smattering of individual talent. If someone like Wright gets going, they could score 170. But equally I think they're capable of falling over for 135. The problem is that we're not going to know that up first.
