Sussex 2026 squad at Finals day:
Alistair Worsley, Matt Greenhough, Dave Daniels, Ian Morris, Mark Bond, Alex Towers, Si Ledwith & Mark Oliphant
Paul Littlefield, Callum Weir, Phil Daniels, Deacon Finn, Dan Field & Marcus Kipling
Ameet Amin is given the impossible task of bowling to Dan Field with Sussex needing just two runs to win the David Townley Cup in 2026. The ball bounces up, made into a good height to hit as Dan advances down the wicket and pulls a good, low six over square leg and take the Sharks to 108 for 2 in reply to Kent’s 103 for 4. This secures just the second domestic treble of the national league division one, Primary Club cup and DT T20 cup – the last being Warwickshire Bears back in 2013. It also brings Sussex level with the Bears as five time winners of the T20 cup, as the Sharks added to their 2012, 2015, 2019 & 2023 victories.
After two years where rain had spoilt finals day resulting in the 2024 final being played in Somerset in 2025 and the 2025 final in London only five weeks before the 2026 finals, the day was acceptable for cricket. There was a blustery wind that did offer some challenge to the bowlers but warm with only brief spells of bright sunshine that meant drinks breaks were short enabling play to stay on programme.
The day started with the toss for the semi-finals that saw Sussex ask Metro to bat first on pitch one and Cheshire ask Kent, at their first ever T20 finals day, to bat on pitch two. On pitch one the season’s top two bowlers, Dave & Phil Daniels opened but Metro managed to score fairly freely until Phil had Mike Shea caught by Deacon Finn at mid-wicket and Dave bowled Sam Hoskin. When Callum Wier hung on to catch Thomas Froud at square leg off Marcus Kipling’s bowling; as Metro started to try and accelerate it was left to Hardik Patel to lead the batting effort; where a brilliant seventeenth maiden over from Deacon Finn was the highlight as Sussex looked to control the game. The Metro total of 141 looked under par. Sussex raced ahead with 15 taken off Rory Field’s first over of the chase and looked very comfortable with only 34 more needed after 14 overs with no wickets lost. However as a sharp catch from Sam Hoskin denied Callum Wier a 50, to go with his Primary Club cup century, and Javid Patel bowled Si Ledwith the game looked closer than expected; with the Sharks on 113 and behind the Metro score after 16 overs. That showed the benefit of the Finn maiden as dan Field needed just sixteen balls to amass 26 and was alert enough to ensure two runs for Dave Daniels and allow the Sharks to reach 143 from 19 overs.
In the other semi-final it was a different story as Kent racked up 208 built on 48 from Moshfique Ahmed and 42 to Ray St Cyr with the Cobras best bowling from skipper, Mike Harrison with 1 for 18. In reply a brisk 40, from 36 balls, from Roy Turnham, was not enough as Cheshire fell 64 short. Kent’s captain, Tom Barton, outdid his opposite number with 4 for 17.
So to the final, which saw an excellent display in the field from the Sharks so that no bowler conceded more than seven and a half runs an over. Both Phil Daniels and Alex Towers conceded just 13 from four overs with Alex taking a tricky caught and bowled to dismiss Kent’s captain as he tried to accelerate to add to the snick behind caught by Si Ledwith of Ray St Cyr. A chase of just 104 after their morning display appeared simple and truly Sussex delivered. Si was sadly dismissed after a well struck four through backward point also saw a top section of the off stump demolished. Callum did get his well deserved 54 from 22 with eleven boundaries and Dan scored another cameo of 39 from 12 ending with that third emphatic and historic six.
In the final match of the day Metro bowled out Cheshire for 116 in eighteen overs with no batter able to score 20 and Sam Hoskin pick of the bowlers with 4 for 22. Metro had a little wobble in the chase as their fourth wicket went down with only just over 100 scored. Cue a rapid end as Sam Hoskin needed just three balls to score 14 and end the match.
At the post match awards apart from that third piece of silverware for Sussex there were player of the day awards for best partial – which went to Callum Wier for that pivotal catch, 102 runs on the day and fielding to save a vast number of runs. The award for total player of the day was also based on an important catch and then a match winning bowling and batting performance as it went to Sam Hoskin.
A big thank you from BCEW to Wolverhampton Cricket Club for once again being generous hosts, Roger Barker as match referee and chief administrator on the day, umpires Yolanda Harris, Fiona Shone, Robert Bartlett and Nilesh Jain, and scorers Steve Field, Yvette Bailey, Sarah Norell and Simon Boulding.
This game sees the legend, Steve, hang up his pencil having scored for Sussex ever since the club started back in 2002. He has scored almost all of their games and also many times for the national side. He was the second scorer to receive the BCEW Scorer of the Year award in 2012. Can there be any thank you for Steve that is big enough?