Farbrace: Sussex Are Missing Delray Rawlins
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Sussex Sharks are missing talented Bermuda captain Delray Rawlins, says the club’s head coach Paul Farbrace.
Rawlins has yet to play in the T20 Vitality Blast this season after being granted personal leave to return to the island, where he is playing for Premier Division 50-over side Bailey’s Bay.
The 25-year-old is also helping Bermuda coach Niraj Odedra prepare the national team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier Regional Final on the island in September and October.
The Sharks have struggled without the big-hitting batter, losing six of their eight matches this summer.
“Delray went home to Bermuda about three weeks ago and asked for some time away from the game, which we gave him,” Farbrace told The Argus newspaper.
“We’ve been supporting him with that, liaising with him and his agent in England on quite a regular basis.
“At some point, we will be able to update you on where that has got to.”
Ravi Bopara, the Sussex captain, echoed Farbrace’s sentiments regarding the gifted Bermudian and said they have particularly missed his slow left-arm bowling.
“He was a guy who opened the bowling for us, left-arm spin up the hill,” said the former England all-rounder. “He had a really good record bowling up the hill.
“That’s hard to replace as well, the left-arm spinner who bowls well into the wind to a short boundary.”
Maybe if they picked him for the 4 day games, things might improve. He’s more than a short form cricketer, a genuine all rounder.
I have watched Delray playing for Sussex on YouTube for the last 3 years and I don’t think that his cricket career is secure enough for him to be in Bermuda. The best thing that he could do for Bermuda is play at the highest possible level so that when he plays he will be at his best. If Sussex miss him he needs to go and fight for a place. There are still some 4 day games, T20 until July and One Day into September so he can get back and be in line for those games for Sussex.