Sussex captain Tymal Mills expressed frustration over the scheduling of the Vitality Blast Finals Day, calling it "pretty stupid" as England players, including Jofra Archer, will miss the crucial matches due to a clash with the T20I series against Australia. Mills, who led Sussex to Finals Day in his first season as captain, was disappointed that Archer, a key player, won't be available for the semi-finals and final.
The Blast Finals Day, set for September 14 at Edgbaston, coincides with England's second and third T20Is against Australia, scheduled for September 13 and 15. The ECB is working on solutions, but players will only be released if they are not needed for the final two T20Is.
"As far as I know, no England players will be available, which is pretty stupid," said Mills after Sussex’s eight-wicket win over Lancashire in the quarter-finals, where Archer took 2 for 20. "It's a real shame for us to lose a player like Jofra. Whoever replaces him will have big shoes to fill."
Surrey, another team affected by the clash, will miss several key players, including Jamie Overton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, and Reece Topley. Surrey is also awaiting confirmation on the availability of their Test players Gus Atkinson, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, and Jamie Smith.
Mills emphasised how the schedule affects teams, noting Warwickshire will be without key players Dan Mousley and Jacob Bethell, who are in England's T20I squad. "It’s disappointing. Finals Day is one of the biggest days of the year, and you want your best players available."
The scheduling issue follows a long gap between the end of the group stage and the quarter-finals, a period of more than six weeks, which Kent captain Sam Billings had earlier criticised as "ridiculous." However, many countries prefer this gap to allow for better ticket sales, as seen in record crowds at recent quarter-finals.
Mills, in his first season as Sussex captain, has been pleased with his team's performance, having led them to 10 wins in 15 games. He also reflected on his own leadership, saying, "I’ve loved it. This is my 10th year at Sussex, and I want to win as many games as I can. Nothing would mean more than winning the Blast for Sussex."
He credited his team's aggressive batting style, with Sussex reaching 200 in five of seven innings when batting first. "We’re playing positive, entertaining cricket. Our record at Hove has improved, and I’m proud of what the coaching staff and players have done. Now, we’ll head to Edgbaston expecting to win."