Coles and Carson picked for India tour
Chichester boxer Megan Payne has had a stunning year in the sport. Here the Chi College student talks us through her rise to a national championship win.
Megan writes: “I’ve been boxing for just over two years, but have only found my current club, Guildford city, around a year ago.
“It started with me watching my dad train when I was around six. My dad knew I had an interest in it because I could never take my eyes him and everyone training.
“This was when he decided to get me into the local karate club. I did a few competitions such as katas, clicker and push-ups, and succeeded pretty well with them. However my dad then started going to Muay Thai classes, from when I was seven to around nine.
“I didn’t join at first, but my brother and I would sit outside the cage. He’d be on his Nintendo DS but I’d be glued watching it.
“I managed to work my way into the sessions, getting my own pink shorts and starting to train with everyone. However, that club closed down so we decided to follow some of the people
Dan Hughes will bring aggression to the top of the Sussex batting order after agreeing a deal to play for the county in 2024.
That’s the hope of head coach Paul Farbrace after Hughes and Indian run machine Cheteshwar Pujara both sealed contracts for different parts of the season. Pujara will be available for the first seven County Championship games – then Hughes will be in contention from the start of the T20 Vitality Blast until the end of the season.
The Aussie will play in the County Championship as well as the Blast. The two batsmen will complement the two overseas bowlers, Jayden Sealesandnathanmcandrew who have also signed for the from there and go to another Muay Thai gym in Southampton.
“I continued training, meeting some top guys in the sport like Mo Abdurahman and Jordan Swinton. However, I think at a young age I didn’t realise how committed you must be to be able to become good at these types of sports so I decided I wanted a break.
“In 2021 I started to get my interest back, my dad was still training some guys so I joined in and fell back in love with the training and was club for the 2024 campaign.
It’s good news for Sussex and their fans who were rocked recently by Ali Orr’s prepared to commit.
“I then chose boxing instead of these martial arts, so my dad started taking me round the local boxing clubs, and we found one in Bognor. I managed to learn the basic techniques and what the sport was all about, but dad and I felt I could develop better in the sport at a different club.
“In October 2022 I had my first session at Guildford City BC, and instantly knew this was the place to be. You don’t even have to look at the talent in there, even if you switch to Hampshire.
Hughes is an aggressive top-order batsman who forced his way into the current look on the walls you can see what they’ve achieved and how special the club is for all the champions it’s produced.
“After months of training and developing my skills, I had my first skills bout in February to get my first taste of what a real bout would be like. The competitive journey started in March with a great first bout, getting my arm raised after a unanimous win.
“Ever since then I’ve achieved things I didn’t even know existed such as becoming three-times Southern New South Wales Blues side on sheer weight of runs. In first-class cricket, he averages 36.90 with a best knock of 178. In his 137 innings, Hughes has notched 26 halfcenturies and eight half-centuries. Hughes has claimed two Steve Waugh Medals and the Blues and Sydney Sixers opener is also a past NSW Blues Marsh One-day Cup Player of the Season.
In T20 cricket Hughes has accumulated 2144 runs in 92 innings at a strike rate of 120.92 and was part of the Sydney Sixers team that won back-to-back Big Bash League titles in 2020 and 2021. Hughes said: “Playing county cricket has been a long-held ambition for me. I am delighted to get that
Counties champion, Midlands Box Cup champion, national development runner-up and best of all, Open class national winner – making me number one in the country in my class all within six months of competing.
“As much as I’m doing well in amateur boxing,, I’m very focused on becoming pro when I turn 18. I don’t think I could do a normal job!
“I think if I can stick to my boxing and show my talent and love for the sport while getting paid, then that would be a dream.” opportunity at Sussex. I respect the strong traditions of the club. The plans for the team are exciting and I look forward to getting to Hove and helping Sussex with success.”
Farbrace said: “We are all very pleased to welcome Dan to Hove, he is a top-class player and has vast amounts of experience. We are all very much looking forward to working him and enjoying how he helps our team on and off the field.”
Pujara has accumulated an astonishing 1863 runs at average of 64.24 for Sussex, including eight centuries and three half-centuries. He said: "I couldn’t be more delighted to be back again with the Sussex family.”
Sussex pair James Coles and Jack Carson have been selected for the England Lions tour to India.
A 15-player England Lions squad will fly to India in early January for a month-long redball tour that coincides with the start of England Men’s five-match Test series.
The Lions will be based in Ahmedabad for the whole tour and are scheduled to play India A in three fourday matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The tour begins with a two-day warm-up match against India A.
Lancashire batter Josh Bohannon will captain the squad after leading the County Championship Division One run-scoring last summer with 1257 at an average of 59.85 with four centuries.
England men’s performance director Mo Bobat said: “Playing a series in India at any level is a challenge to get excited about, it’s one of the truest tests for any cricketer. It’s great that our Lions team can experience that challenge and have the opportunity to showcase their skills in those conditions.
England Lions squad: Josh Bohannon (Lancashire – captain); Kasey Aldridge (Somerset); Brydon Carse (Durham); Jack Carson (Sussex); James Coles (Sussex); Matt Fisher (Yorkshire); Keaton Jennings (Lancashire); Tom Lawes (Surrey); Alex Lees (Durham); Dan Mousley (Warwickshire); Callum Parkinson (Durham); Matt Potts (Durham); Ollie Price (Gloucestershire); James Rew (Somerset); Ollie Robinson (Durham).
Matches run from January 12-13, 17-20, 24-27 and February 1-4 and are all at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.