Tom Alsop joins Sussex: Tom Alsop – Hampshire wicketkeeper-batsman has joined Sussex on a season-long loan. He will be available for all of the club’s matches in the LV= Insurance County Championship, Royal London Cup, and T20 Blast.
Tom Alsop joins Sussex
The 26-year-old, who has 63 first-class appearances and 54 List A appearances to his name, also adds valuable experience to Sussex’s young squad. Prior to the recruitment of Alsop and overseas signing Cheteshwar Pujara, the majority of Sussex’s top-order options were aged 23 or under.
The move makes sense for Alsop, too, with the arrival of top-order batters Brown and Nick Gubbins likely limiting his playing opportunities at Hampshire. Lewis McManus, meanwhile, has a tight grip on the gloves in all three formats, taking 43 catches and completing seven stumpings in 2021.
Ian Salisbury, Sussex’s Championship and 50-over coach, said Alsop would benefit from the opportunity to work with Grant Flower, their new batting coach. “We’d identified a lack of top-three batters on the staff and see Tom as a talented top-order player,” he said.
“He is ready for a new challenge and to work with what I believe is one of the best batting coaches in the country. He’s a top lad who I have no doubt will fit into the squad brilliantly alongside our young homegrown talent.”
Alsop, 26, was an England Lions player in 2016 and 2017 but his development has stalled in recent years and his first-class average of 27.34 reflects an unfulfilled talent. With substantial competition for places at Hampshire after the signings of Brown and Nick Gubbins in the last nine months, he has been allowed to spend the season at Hove.
“This opportunity at Sussex provides Tom with 1st XI cricket at a time when it’s limited here at Hampshire,” Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, said. “Hopefully Tom finds early form and starts the season strongly.”
Last season, Alsop made 23 appearances in all formats for Hampshire, scoring 564 runs at 25.63 in the County Championship, 238 List A runs and 21 runs in the T20 Blast.
