Sussex Sharks in the T20 Vitality Blast – Ravi Bopara, Shadab Khan in the mood, could Orr and Hudson-Prentice star too?

In two warm-up games this week, skipper Ravi Bopara and overseas signing Shadab Khan have given notice they are in the mood for T20 fireworks.

After a disappointing campaign in 2022, when they failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, Sussex will be aiming to get off to a winning start when they host Somerset at Hove this evening (7pm).

Eastbourne batting star Ali Orr is among those tipped for a regular spot in the Sharks line-up this year following the departure of long-serving opener Luke Wright.

And as he tries to take his red-ball and One Day Cup form into the shorter form of the game, Orr will have some experienced T20 stars for company.

Bopara looks in superb nick – on Tuesday he played a remarkable innings of 144 off just 49 balls as Sussex seconds beat their Middlesex counterparts by 194 runs at Richmond.

Sussex piled up 324-7 – one of the highest T20 totals ever recorded anywhere – with Bopara leading the way, scoring 12 sixes and 14 fours, including 38 runs off one over.

He helped wrap up the huge win by taking 4-32.

Others took their chance to shine 24 hours later when Sussex twos beat Essex seconds by five wickets at Horsham.

Pakistani recruit Khan hit 42off just 15 balls as the Sharks chased down their target, while Bopara scored a relatively sedate 47 off 25 balls.

Essex had been bowled out for 184 with Khan taking 3-21 and Fynn Hudson-Prentice 4-34.

Meanwhile Orr is being tipped to do well.

The ECB reporters’ network, who cover every county match, said: “In Wright’s absence Orr is likely to get an extended opportunity at the top of the order.

"He has only played eight T20 games in his career but has all the shots in white-ball cricket, as he proved in 2022 when he scored Sussex’s first List A double hundred against Somerset.”

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