T20 could be Sussex's best hope - but promotion is possible too

Sussex spinner Danny Briggs is looking forward to what promises to be an '˜exciting' season at the club.
Danny Briggs / Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyDanny Briggs / Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Danny Briggs / Picture by PW Sporting Photography

The 26-year-old former Hampshire CCC man is confident the squad have what it takes to earn promotion from division two of the county championship and is ‘desperate’ to make an impact himself.

He said: “I think it will be an exciting season. There has been a lot of change and obviously we have got an exciting young squad.

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“I’m excited and I think we can do a lot and there is no reason why we shouldn’t be pushing on all forms.

“In the T20 and 50-over competitions, we’ve got a good squad and if we can get on an early roll and carry that on, I think we’ve got a chance to get promoted as well, so i think it’s an exciting season for all of us.

“Personally, I’m desperate to have a good year. I want to do a good job in all forms and do a good job for the team which is the main ambition. As long as I can contribute to winning games, I’ll be happy.”

He became especially optimistic after the arrival of new head coach Jason Gillespie who, during his time at Yorkshire, earned promotion from county championship division-two then took them to runners-up spot in division one and two titles.

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He added: “I’m very excited. It’s a big signing for the club and a big coach to come in having success at Yorkshire and back in Australia as well.

“It’s good as it gives the players confidence so hopefully if we can go out there and play with freedom with that backing, hopefully we can go and flourish.

“He has an excellent record but we can’t take that for granted.

“We’ll work hard and we are the ones on the field that have got to perform and get some wins so that’s what we will be concentrating on.”

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Briggs, who in 2011, became the youngest English spin bowler to take 100 first-class wickets, feels Sussex are in with a chance in winning all three available competitions (division two of the county championship, the One-Day Cup and the T20 Blast). However, he feels their T20 squad is the ‘strongest’.

He said: “At the start of the season, I think you have a chance in all of the competitions. Our T20 squad is very strong and probably the most experienced out of the three so you may that might be our strongest but there is no reason why we can’t get promoted up to division one.

“As soon as you get to the knockout games in any of the competitions, we can beat anyone with our squad and that’s what we want to aim for.”

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