We're The Wet Side Sussex CCC Boys

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Oh, FFS! Why does it always rain on me?

Sussex v West Indies at Hove. 2.30pm kick-off, or whatever it is they have. Sussex elect to bat in glorious bright sunshine. Tee-shirts and shorts weather and lolling about in blue'n'white striped deckchairs (if you could get one). Choruses of GOSBTS, Mexican waves, everything fine. Sussex rack up 290+ during which time the sky progressively darkens. By the end of 47 out of 50 overs THPP has snuck out to the Sussex CCC Shoppe for some rather natty branded rainwear, all the better to see Brian Lara smash a few holes in windows of the adjoining flats after 'tea'. But nope, it's just like watching The Albion. At Withdean. In the South Stand. No sooner are Sussex's alloted 50 overs done than the complete sky goes those shades of black and dark green so familiar to H block regulars, and we get the traditional flash flood complete with thunderbolts and lightning and all the usual footwear-destroying crap. Ho-hum. Ceefax says there's an inspection at 7.30 and - yes- the sky is now completely blue once again. But who cares anymore. The moment's passed & we're all now safely hunkered down in the dry with tellies to watch Holland v the Czechs.

Bugger cricket!

 

[Strike]

Luckily my day out at Eastbourne watching tennis was not affected by the weather, although I noticed rain at Lewes station on the way back. Rain is a nasty thing,

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

it got really cold aswell!!!

was a good day out though, so im not complaining!! bloke leading the mexican wave was brilliant!!!!

 

[Lush]

But did you get the obligatory papier mache programme?

Was the only sound in the ground the plip plip plip of water hitting plastic ponchos?

Do you now have the inevitable slightly sore throat and explosive sneeze?

If not, it was not a true Withdean-esque experience my Scorrtish friend.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

More glug-glug than plip-plip, Lush.

One minute it was all "marvellous cricketing scenes" as THPP describes, the next, the sky went all "Apocalypse" coloured and cautionary warnings about thunderstorms and getting off the outfield were issued.

Some time and many discussions of the "I'm sure it's brightening up over Shoreham way" type, later we took the fairweather footy option and went off home to watch it!

A small photographic record of the afternoon is HERE