Haines is enjoying the learning curve as county’s new captain
Tom Haines says it’s been a steep learning curve adapting to being named captain of Sussex’s County Championship and One Day Cup sides.
The 23-year-old, who captained the side a number of times at the end of last season, has been given the captaincy after Australian batter Travis Head withdrew from his 2022 contract.
Opening batsman Haines got off to a flying start in the role last Thursday with a 50 on the first day of the season against Notts at Hove, a match which Sussex ended up losing.
Haines, who was the first player to score 1,000 runs in the 2021 County Championship, said of last summer: “It was a real learning curve for me, the last four games were tough, learning how to deal with my batting and captaining as well.
“I’ve really been looking forward to this year. I’ve got the help around me from coaching staff and senior players. I see it as a year I can grow and learn a lot as a cricketer.”
Sussex finished bottom of their County Championship group last year, winning only once, but Haines hopes new arrivals will bring success.
“As you saw last year there were individual performances in each of the games that showed us the talent – we just need to bring it all together.
“There’s been a few signs over the winter with senior players such as Steve Finn coming in. We’ve got Tom Alsop and the two overseas as well, it’s only going to help all of them grow and perform on a more consistent basis.”
Often a captain’s performances can dip because of the pressure of the role, but Haines says he is thriving – after initially debating on whether to take the role.
“There was definitely time to think, it wasn’t an instant yes, I spoke to people whose opinion I value and weighed up both sides of the argument. But I feel it’s a really good decision for me to take it on now – I’ve got the support around me and the senior players, the signings we’ve made are only going to help.
“In the field it helps me. I focus on the decision I have to make as a captain when I’m in the field, I don’t think about my batting, I don’t overthink anything.
“When I go out to bat I don’t worry about being a captain, I worry about going out and scoring as many runs as I can. It helps me separate the two and I’ve really enjoyed it so far.
“It is tough but that’s cricket, that’s being an opening batter.
“You could be a captaining or a fielder it’s still mentally and physically tough, thinking about the game in the field like tactics and bowling decisions, it’s all stuff that’s going to make me become a better cricketer.”
After fielding a very youthful side last year, Sussex have brought in senior players Finn and Cheteshwar Pujara, which will help the young skipper, according to County Championship coach Ian Salisbury.
He said: “We see massive leadership qualities in Tom that’s why we had him as 50-over captain last year.
“To captain the youngest side that’s ever been out there would’ve been hard work for him but now the players you have around him, you’ve got superstars of world cricket. So far, he’s scored a load of runs as captain.”
CAMERON WINSTANLEY