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Sussex find fast forward

The new regime that took control of Sussex's affairs after the turmoil of 1997 has brought about an immediate and remarkable transformation in the county's fortunes.

Crucial appointments, especially Dave Gilbert as cricket manager and Derbyshire's Chris Adams as captain, helped Sussex rise from bottom in the 1997 championship to seventh in 1998, a level they had not reached since 1992.

Their achievement must be attributed to the weight of runs scored by Adams and Michael Bevan, their overseas signing. The form and fitness of their three main pace bowlers, Jason Lewry, James Kirtley and Mark Robinson, who took 158 wickets between them, was also important.

Sussex will be without Lewry for their first three championship matches while he recovers from a shoulder injury which cut short his tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa with England A.

Adams's options were widened, and he was able to use his strike bowlers to greater advantage, when Robin Martin-Jenkins came down from Durham University.

Sussex's new cricket manager, Peter Moores, their former wicketkeeper and captain, is delighted to have Martin-Jenkins available full-time this season. ``Robin is a fine bowler and is improving as a hard-hitting batsman,'' said Moores. ``He gives us so much more flexibility.''

While the bowlers all hit form, Sussex's batting was uneven, which placed immense responsibility on Adams and Bevan. It says much of Adams's character that despite this, he fitted effortlessly into the role of captain. ``I did not have a great deal of experience as captain, but I have always wanted to be a captain and I enjoyed the challenge,'' said Adams.

Michael Di Venuto, 26, a Tasmanian left-hander of Italian ancestry, replaces Bevan, who plays for Australia in the World Cup this summer.

Six championship wins last year compared to just one in 1997 was a heartening improvement, but the number of defeats, seven, must have been disconcerting. With the points system revised to reduce by four the value of a win and to add one for a draw, Sussex cannot afford such vulnerability in the season which determines the two divisions in a split championship next year.

They have shed brothers Keith and Mark Newell, who found offers of one-year contracts unacceptable. The principal new signing among the batsmen is Tony Cottey, 32, from Glamorgan, on a five-year contract. ``He is a tough, experienced campaigner who has played in a championship-winning side. He will certainly bolster our middle batting,'' said Moores.

Last year's openers, Toby Peirce and Wasim Khan, left-handers both, will face competition from Richard Montgomerie, signed from Northamptonshire.

An interesting acquisition is the Dutchman, Bas Zuiderent, who, as an 18-year-old, scored 54 against England in the last World Cup. He is an opening batsman, but his initiation is more likely to be through limited-overs cricket, with which he is more familiar.

Paul Jarvis and Amer Khan, the leg-spinner, have moved on. Bevan's spin has been replaced by Umer Rashid, long-time understudy to Phil Tufnell at Middlesex.

Moores feels that in view of the England and Wales Cricket Board directive to counties to prepare pitches that turn on the last two days, Sussex needed a spinner who takes the ball away from the bat.

For a county who have had much success in limited-overs cricket in the past, Sussex had a very poor one-day season last year. Moores said: ``We had four wins in our last six Sunday games and that late improvement in performance should put us in good heart for the new season.''

Team Details & First-Class fixtures

Staff: C.J. Adams (capt), J J Bates, J R Carpenter, P A Cottey, M Di Venuto, A Edwards, G R Haywood, S Humphries, W G Khan, R J Kirtley, J D Lewry, R S C Martin-Jenkins, R R Montgomerie, M T Peirce, R K Rao, U B A Rashid, M A Robinson, M R Strong, N J Wilton, B Zuiderent.

New players: P A Cottey (from Glamorgan), M Di Venuto, U B A Rashid (from Middlesex), R R Montgomerie (from Northants), B Zuiderent.

Released: M G Bevan (World Cup duty), R P Davis (retired), K Greenfield (second XI coach), P W Jarvis (to Somerset), A A Khan (to Leicestershire), P Moores (cricket manager), K Newell (to Glamorgan), M Newell, N R Taylor (retired).

Beneficary: N J Lenham.

1998 record

Ch'ship: 7th (W 6, D 4, L 7)
AXA Lge: 16th
B & H Cup: eliminated at group stage.
NatWest: 1st rd.

First-class fixtures

April:
Tues 13 Lancashire (Old Trafford). Wed 21 Northamptonshire (Hove). Wed 28 Glamorgan (Cardiff).

May:
Wed 19 Gloucestershire (Hove). Wed 26 Middlesex (Lord's).

June:
Wed 2 Worcestershire (Horsham). Wed 9 Kent (Hove). Tues 15 Yorkshire (Headingley). Wed 30 Somerset (Taunton).

July:
Wed 14 Leicestershire (Arundel). Wed 21 Derbyshire (Derby).

Aug:
Wed 4 Durham (Riverside). Wed 18 Surrey (Hove). Tues 24 Hampshire (Portsmouth).

Sept:
Wed 1 Essex (Eastbourne). Wed 8 Nottinghamshire (Hove). Wed 15 Warwickshire (Edgbaston).