Prior rested for Twenty20

AFTER announcing their initial 20-man squad for the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 competition, Sussex CCC has been continuing its dialogue with the England and Wales Cricket Board over the availability of the England players. The Club can confirm that Matt Prior will not be travelling with the squad after deciding that it would be in his best interest to rest.

Prior, who has an intensely busy period of international cricket ahead of him, will be representing England in the ICC Champions Trophy, which takes place in South Africa at the end of September, followed by England's tour to South Africa between November 2009 and January 2010.

Mark Robinson, Sussex CCC Professional Cricket Manager, said: "I've had a lot of talks with Matty about what is best for him. He obviously is desperate to help his county do well in what is a major competition and he's also aware of the other potential avenues that could be opened up by him doing well as an individual in India, such as the Indian Premier League.

"When talking with him, the one thing that kept coming out was his desire to be as fit and as fresh to represent his country. As this was his only rest period, it was the right thing to do and we all at Sussex must respect Matt's dream to continue his England ambitions."

The Sharks boast a wealth of match-winning stars including Dwayne Smith, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy and Yasir Arafat to name a few.

Dwayne Smith will be available despite being able to represent both Sussex Sharks and Deccan Chargers. The selection was confirmed when Deccan Chargers made the decision to leave Dwayne out of their final 15-man squad.

Luke Wright, who has also been included in the One Day Squads for the NatWest Series and Champions Trophy, will travel with Sussex to the Champions League Twenty20 competition.

Mark Robinson went on to say: "It's such an exciting event for the club and the players. Everyone is looking forward to testing themselves against the best domestic teams in the world."

Hugh Morris, the England Cricket Managing Director, added: "I'd like to thank Sussex for their continued support of the England team this season. We appreciate their understanding in making this decision."