Worcestershire vs Sussex, County Championship Divison Two, Today Match Prediction 04 May 2023

wor vs sus Match Prediction & Analysis

Worcestershire will look to get their campaign back on track as they face Sussex in the 16th game of the County Championship Division Two 2023. Worcestershire escaped with a draw in the last game against Gloucestershire after a poor show with the bat. Sussex shared the points with the same opponent and missed a win due to rain.  

Sussex's batsmen have been in good form, and all players in the top order have made runs. Their key bowlers have also troubled the opponents, which will be a confidence booster for the team. Worcestershire has had two poor outings, and they want to regain form playing at home. It will be interesting to see if they can overcome the challenge thrown at them by in-form Sussex.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Worcestershire Preview

Brett D'Oliveira's side was lucky to escape with a draw in the last game against Gloucestershire. They batted poorly across both innings of the game. After winning their first game, the side has been on a downward slide. They take on a team that has been in good form, and D'Oliveira will look to make a point as they play at home.  

Ed Pollock and Jake Libby have done well at the top, and the pair will need to set up a big opening wicket partnership. The middle order hasn't been consistent, and they need runs from Azhar Ali, Jack Haynes, and D'Oliveira. Matthew Waite and Ben Cox are good players down the order, and there will be big expectations from them.  

The team will need good spells from Joe Leach and Ben Gibbson with the new ball, as Sussex has been in excellent form. Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue have done well, but it will be a big challenge for them in the middle overs. Matthew Waite and D'Oliveira need to do well in the supporting role in this game. 

Worcestershire Predicted Playing XI:

Brett D'Oliveira (c), Ed Pollock, Jake Libby, Azhar Ali, Jack Haynes, Matthew Waite, Ben Cox (wk), Joe Leach, Josh Tongue, Ben Gibbon, Dillon Pennington

Sussex Preview

Cheteshwar Pujara's side was unlucky to have missed a win in their last game against Gloucestershire. They were in a strong position, but weather interruptions denied them a victory. The side has had a good run, with the captain leading from the front. They will look to win this game and claim the top spot on the points table.  

Tom Haines and Ali Orr are getting starts, and they must convert them into big scores. Pujara has scored two hundreds already, and he is looking at his best. He will look to build partnerships in the middle order with Tom Alsop and James Coles. The lower middle order is scoring runs, and they will expect contributions from Oliver Carter and  Fynn Hudson-Prentice.  

The bowling attack has done well, and they would like to see early wickets from Sean Hunt and Nathan McAndrew, who bowled good lines in the last game. Henry Crocombe and Fynn Hudson-Prentice troubled the batsmen in the last game, and they will look to continue with the same form. Haines, Jack Carson, and Coles add variety to this attack. 

Sussex Predicted Playing XI:

Cheteshwar Pujara (c), Alistair Orr, Tom Haines, Tom Alsop, Tom Clark, Oliver Carter (wk), Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Nathan McAndrew, Jack Carson, Sean Hunt, Henry Crocombe

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

There are predictions for rains at Worchester, and we expect to see challenging batting conditions. There would be bounce and carry for the fast bowlers. Batsmen have to be watchful on this track. The side batting first shall be happy to have 350 runs on the board in the first innings.

Venue Details

New Road, Worcester, is a small venue and has shorter boundaries. It is an advantage for the batsmen as they can easily cross the boundary rope. Fast bowlers get assistance from this track early in the game. Spinners haven't had the best of records, as the small size of the ground prevents them from tossing the ball.

Toss: To Bowl

The wicket assists the fast bowlers when the conditions are overcast at the start. In most games, we have seen sides chasing the score successfully in the fourth innings. Hence, the side winning the toss shall not hesitate to bowl first.