At Skid Row in Hove, Farbrace lightens the gloomy mood

Paul Farbrace is the Sussex coach – or Director of Cricket to give him his posh title. He is also, by 22 yards, the best communicator at the club.

Last night he was a vaudevillian among morticians. Stepping out from the black cloth-covered table to meet his audience he was as light on his feet as a middleweight boxer and as comfortable, with mic in hand, as Graham Norton doing his warm-up.

He joked that he had appointed his stepson, Ollie Robinson, captain of the County Championship side because he had forgotten to buy him a Christmas present. “It kept his mother happy too.” I suppose there’s nothing wrong with nepotism, provided it’s kept in the family.