Warwickshire seek a point for spot in last four

An agonising one-run defeat at home to Durham on Sunday means the Bears still need another point to guarantee a place in the last four and a home tie next Tuesday.

Briggs has been released by Oval Invincibles and is included in a 14-man squad for the trip to Hove.

Michael Burgess is rested for the game and will be replaced behind the stumps by either Alex Davies or Kai Smith.

First-team coach Mark Robinson knows a superior run rate (1.494) over league chasers Worcestershire (0.533) and Gloucestershire (0.697) – who’ve both ensured qualification from Group B – should still be enough even if his side lose at bottom-placed Sussex.

Granted

“It’ll need a big swing in the run-rate for us to miss out on top spot,” he said, “but we can’t take it for granted.

“That’s one of the frustrations at losing to Durham – a game we should have won – as I would have loved to rest a couple of players at Sussex ahead of the knockouts and our four remaining championship games.

“We’ve got some big battles to come – but we want to book that semi-final tie and won’t take any chances. Fatigue can play a part, the games are coming thick and fast again, and that’s why we’re giving Burgy a rest. We’re lucky in that we’ve got Al and Kai who can both step in.”

Robinson said his side put themselves in several game-winning positions against Durham – their first defeat in an otherwise blemish-free league run – but couldn’t close the game out as they chased a big 338 total.

He added: “We got ourselves into positions to go on and win. 165/2; five down and only needing six-and-a-half an over; and the last five overs needing seven an over. We should win in those positions especially against an inexperienced bowling attack.

“But it was a big chase. It was a great game of cricket, a great innings by Bedingham (152) and we had our own hero in Barnard (161) but ultimately his runs were in vain.

“Ed is continuing to revel in his new role. He was desperate to contribute some match-winning performances and he’s doing that in this competition.

“The change of role has helped him, given him batting confidence, and alongside Olly we have arguably the One Day Cup’s two most valuable players right now.”

Sussex lie bottom of Group B with one win from seven games – that coming on 11 August with a four-wicket win at Somerset – and the match-up pitches the Bears against former Director of Cricket Paul Farbrace for the first time since he left Edgbaston last October.