SOUL OF SPORT: The County Championship returns with fans flocking to Hove to watch Sussex start their campaign against Durham… KEVIN QUIGLEY captured the excitement and tradition in pictures
- Every Monday, our Soul of Sport series will take readers behind the scenes at top sporting events
- Sportsmail’s Kevin Quigley went to Hove to watch the return of the County Championship this week
- His photographs capture the best moments as the English cricket season finally got underway
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Welcome back to the Soul of Sport. In the seventh episode of the series, KEVIN QUIGLEY was at Hove as the County Championship season got underway with Sussex hosting Durham.
Despite some less than ideal conditions at the start of the match, fans still braved the weather and were treated to a thrilling game, as Sussex eventually sealed a nervy two-ticket win on the final day. It was an exciting start to a huge year of cricket, with the Ashes and World Cup just around the corner. Our man used a Nikon Z9 camera and 24-70mm, 14-24mm and 400m lenses to capture the best moments from the opening day.
Dark clouds were on show during the County Championship Division Two fixture at Hove in the opening week of April
Fans were treated to an excellent game of cricket while also tucking into refreshments in the County Ground clubhouse
The next generation looked to have been inspired as three youngsters enjoyed a game of cricket in the Sussex car park
Durham’s openers were made to wait for the rain to pass by before getting their season underway on the opening day
One keen fan followed every ball to mark his scorecard accurately in Durham’s first innings of the match
One fan brought an autograph book with them and looked to be hunting for the signature of England star Matthew Potts
The days are getting longer in the UK but floodlights were still needed to ensure play could continue into the early evening
Some fans ensured they were well-prepared for the day, carrying a cool box into the ground ahead of the start of play
The first game of the season threw up all kinds of weather, with supporters having to wrap up warm to take in the action
A look inside the Sussex dressing room as they prepare to field after captain Cheteshwar Pujara won the toss
Sussex wicketkeeper Oli Carter puts his No 11 shirt on and shows off his Union Jack ‘Budgy Smuggler’ pants
Another look into the Sussex changing room as the players regroup at tea after a challenging day in the field
Sussex bowler and former England star Steven Finn (left) is injured but is still helping out with the analytics at the club
A change of footwear is needed at tea ahead of the final session of the opening day at Hove
A look at the lunch and tea menu for all four days, with a variety of options on offer for the players and officials
Players sit down for food, while others queue up in the dining room to get their lunch following the opening session of the day
One of the umpires makes the most of the lunch on offer in a bid to refuel for the afternoon session at Hove
A fan takes in the action while also having a newspaper in hand, perhaps having a go at a crossword or Sudoku!
A fan points towards the action as he sits inside with a pint and a book to keep him company during the day’s play
Fans enjoy the various seating options available at Hove, with three supporters watching the game on deckchairs
The weather wasn’t all doom and gloom, with some blue sky appearing at times as Sussex and Durham tried to take control
Fans were able to watch by sitting in the stand, on deckchairs, or simply taking their place on the grassy bank (above)
Supporters watch on as they sit on deckchairs and benches as the day’s play draws to a close under the floodlights
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk