Earlier this week, www.islandstats.com reported that Bermudian Delray Rawlins signed a Junior Pro Contract with Sussex and he could possibly face South Africa next season.
The English Cricket Board announced the Tour Match Schedule for 2017, and Sussex Cricket will be welcoming the touring South African team to The 1st Central County Ground on Friday May 19th.
The match will be a 50-over floodlit affair, scheduled for a 2.00pm start ahead of South Africa’s Royal London One-Day International series with England, which begins five days later at Headingley.
There is also a bonus Tour Match for Sussex supporters later in the summer when South Africa A will be the visitors to Arundel Castle, for a four-day match to face Sussex between Wednesday June 14th and Saturday June 17th, however, if Sussex reach the play-off stages of the Royal London One-Day Cup, then the tourists will play a Duke of Norfolk XI.
It will be South Africa’s first visit to Hove since 2003, when Sussex also welcomed them for a 50-over floodlit Tour Match, which saw the visitors win by 153 runs.
South Africa were also at Hove four years earlier, beating India by four wickets in the ICC Cricket World Cup, in the only One-Day International to be played at the ground.
Ticket details and further arrangements for the matches will be confirmed via the Sussex Website during the winter months.
ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said, “We’re very pleased to have agreed such a comprehensive touring programme for 2017 – a schedule which will provide fans with even more opportunities to see two international teams in action at county grounds; and help our Lions players test themselves against high quality opposition in both red and white-ball cricket.
“With this country also hosting the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s World Cup next season, 2017 promises to be a hugely exciting summer of cricket – and a strong platform to promote our sport to an even wider and more diverse audience.”
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