Cricket. It’s not what most people would consider to be ‘cool’. Even those peculiar individuals who do love the sport – and I count myself firmly among them – readily admit that it is a rather silly old game.
But you don’t have to know your short fine legs from your googlies (yes, legit cricket terms) to enjoy the primal pleasure of thwacking a ball with a bat. Nowhere is that more true than at Sixes, a cricket-themed bar franchise where punters can have a go at doing just that.
Enter the ‘net’ – essentially a batting cage – and try to remain calm whilst a simulated bowler runs in towards you on a projector screen at the far end. A bright orange ball flies towards you from a hole in the screen, and you score points for how well you manage to hit it.
England legend Jofra Archer has a go in the net (Image: NQ) There was a Sixes on Brighton beach which closed last year when the i360 changed hands, but a new one has recently opened up at Sussex’s county ground in Hove, becoming the rapidly-expanding franchise’s 17th UK location. It’s the first one to be situated at a professional cricket ground though, which, contrary to my opening line, is in fact pretty cool.
The new venue has been open since April, but they had an official launch on May 23 to coincide with England Women playing against the West Indies. As the saddest cricket nuffy in The Argus office I gladly volunteered to attend.
And it was a lot of fun! The bar feels sleek and the cocktails are on point. The food options are pretty standard bar grub – burgers, pizzas, nachos, et cetera – but all done very nicely. Altogether it’s an enjoyable venue, the kind of place you could eat and have a few drinks at even if you had absolutely no interest in hitting spherical things with a rectangular thing.
Margaritas and cricket? Yes please! (Image: NQ) And indeed you can pop in just for pints, but you’d be missing out not to have a go in the net while you’re there. You can play in groups, each person facing six balls at a time, and you can choose your own difficulty level, ranging from beginner to world class. The higher the difficulty, the faster the ball comes.
Having necked a few sparkling wines by this point, and seeking to impress my girlfriend (who truly could not care less about any sport, let alone cricket), I boldly cranked it up to world class.
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The error of my foolish ways was exposed not once but repeatedly, as ball after ball sailed merrily past while I flailed in vain. Neither the embarrassment nor the redness of my face subsided in the slightest when I realised that Jofra Archer, England bowler and general cricket A-lister, was standing right behind me, waiting to have a go.
Lesson learnt: don’t try to impress uninterested Turkish girlfriend with stupid British sport in front of good-looking English legend.
Jofra has played for Sussex since 2016 (Image: NQ)READ NEXT: ‘I don’t recognise this country’: Readers react to Greggs moving food behind counter
Still, not even public ignominy could deter me from going back. It might not be a surprise that a cricket fan would enjoy a cricket-themed bar, but I really believe that anybody could have a good time there. Bowling alleys, pool halls, and crazy golf watch out: there’s a new novelty activity on the block.
To quote 10CC, I don’t like Sixes.
I love it.
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