'It is a real shame for us to lose a player' - Tymal Mills on losing key England players for Finals Day

Sussex skipper Tymal Mills recently expressed his frustration with the scheduling conflict that will see England players, including his star bowler Jofra Archer, miss the Vitality Blast Finals Day. The clash between the domestic T20 tournament's final and England's T20I series against Australia has sparked debate about the prioritization of international cricket over domestic competitions.

The Vitality Blast Finals Day, scheduled for September 14 at Edgbaston, will coincide with England's T20I series against Australia, with matches on September 13 and 15.

This overlap has led to the unavailability of key players for their county teams during one of the most significant days in the domestic cricket calendar. Mills, who led Sussex to an impressive eight-wicket victory over Lancashire in the quarter-finals, didn't mince words when discussing the situation. 

"As far as I'm aware, no England players will be available - which is pretty stupid, to be honest. Obviously no England players will be there from any side, but it is a real shame for us to lose a player like Jof. Whoever comes in for him will have big boots to fill," he said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

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This is a big day of the year and you'd like your best players there: Tymal Mills

He also emphasized how losing ace pacer Archer would hurt them in the summit clash and also spoke about the unorganized schedule.

"For us, it hurts us a lot, because you take Jofra Archer out of your team and it is a huge loss. Other counties - Surrey, for example - can maybe cover their losses a bit better than what we can, but it is what it is. The XI that's taking the field on the 14th will have to step up. But I'm sure you won't find many people that will agree with the schedule and say, 'Yeah, it's great," he added.

Surrey, who secured their Finals Day spot by defeating Durham, stand to lose up to four players to England duty. Warwickshire, still waiting for their quarter-final result, could be without Dan Mousley and Jacob Bethell. Mills emphasized the significance of having top players present for such a crucial event. 

"I know Warwickshire will be without Mousley and Bethell - two of their better players - if they beat Gloucestershire on Friday. It's disappointing. This is a big day of the year and you'd like your best players there," he concluded.

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After missing out on the quarter-finals last year, Sussex has won 10 out of 15 games in 2024. Mills, in his first year as T20 captain, has injected a positive and aggressive playing style that has seen the team consistently post high scores.