Sussex rue the cost of losing Fizz

Sussex County Cricket Club are counting the cost of losing star strike bowler Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, probably for the season.

The Bangladeshi paceman has been sidelined by a torn shoulder cartilage after bowling just 7.2 overs for his county. His Sussex season is likely to be over – and that will certainly be the case if Sharks lose to Glamorgan at Hove tonight (6.30pm) and bow out of the NatWest T20 Blast, reports The Argus.

The man dubbed ‘The Fizz’ looked world class in taking 4-23 on his debut at Essex last week but recorded 0-31 against Surrey the following night.

Sussex boss Mark Davis confirmed Bangladesh made the call to pull Mustafizur out.

Davis said: “He won’t play for us again and that is incredibly disappointing because everybody knows how good he could have been.

“He’s their player. They can pull him at any time.”

Chief executive Zac Toumazi last night declined to discuss business aspects of the deal which brought Rahman, one of the world’s finest T20 bowlers, to England. But his loss is an incalculable blow to the county both from a sporting and commercial point of view.

Mustafizur’s association with Sussex, for whom he signed six months ago, has been plagued by bad luck. His arrival was delayed by first homesickness, then hamstring and ankle injuries and later a visa complication.

As well as adding spice to their white-ball attack, Sussex had hoped Fizz would help them tap into massive commercial potential of fielding a player who is an icon in cricket-crazy Bangladesh.

The county’s Facebook page had about 40,000 likes this time last week but that figure rocketed to 190,000 after Mustafizur Rahman’s stunning debut.

A highlights package of that game on their YouTube channel attracted more than 100,000 views. Such videos usually struggle to reach 1,000 hits.

And three Bangladeshi television crews will be at tonight’s game – despite Rahman’s non-appearance.

The Bangladeshi high commissioner in London yesterday cancelled a visit to Hove. Sussex retain hopes that Rahman could return next season, when a potential masterplan could be for him to take part in the domestic T20 after appearing for his country in the Champions Trophy.