Fizz bursts onto the county scene

Just over 24 hours after landing in conditions that he had only briefly experienced as a teenager in 2013, conditions as different from his native Bangladesh as can be found in the cricket world, Mustafizur Rahman burst onto the Natwest T20 Blast scene by bagging the man-of-the-match award on his debut for Sussex at Chelmsford on Thursday. 

His figures of four for 23 against Essex not only helped his team conjure a 24-run victory in a must-win game but also elevated them to fourth place in the South division table, thereby opening up the chance for a quarterfinal place.

Mustafizur was entrusted with three of the last five overs as Sussex defended a commanding 200 for six, and responded by picking up four wickets.

While he forced Essex skipper Ravi Bopara to sky one in the air, he tricked former England wicketkeeper James Foster -- who stepped to the off side to play a sweep -- with a fuller delivery that rattled the stumps. Three balls later he produced a searing yorker to dismiss Callum Taylor and then got Ryan Ten Doeschate caught at short fine-leg in the last over.

His captain, Luke Wright was in awe of the bowler, for whom Sussex had been waiting ever since signing him up in early March. They waited as Mustafizur recovered from injury after his exertions for Indian Premier League champions, and even as visa complications delayed his much-anticipated arrival. Judging by his performance on Thursday, Mustafizur was well worth the wait.

 “We got criticised for hanging on but that's why we waited. He's a special talent and we have to enjoy him while we have him. He's an unbelievably skilful bowler. To have him bowling those death overs as well as he did, the day after he came in, and hardly being able to speak any English was superb,” said an excited Wright after the win.

Mustafizur and Sussex were set to take on Surrey in another important match later last night.