Sussex v Yorkshire: Hodd confident Yorkshire can get the job done

Hodd, who played for Sussex from 2003 before joining Yorkshire following the departure of fellow wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy, believes Yorkshire are in pole position to land back-to-back titles.

They head into today’s game at Hove 38 points clear at the top with a match in hand on all their rivals, each of whom have four fixtures left.

And Hodd, who is taking advantage of first-choice wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow’s absence with England, believes Yorkshire can take another big step towards silverware if they can claim a seventh successive Championship win.

“We’ve got ourselves in such a good position that it’s ours to lose a little bit now,” said Hodd, who has played in five of the club’s 11 Championship games this summer. That’s not to be complacent or to say that no one else can put a run together.

“We saw in the past, for example, with Durham, that teams can put together a good winning run, and we need to make sure we keep doing the right things.

“But everyone is coming to the party for us in red-ball cricket, and it’s just about trying to get so far beyond everyone else that we can’t be caught.”

There would seem little chance of that happening.

However, Hodd is taking nothing for granted, and the 31-year-old admits he will have a few butterflies going back to his old stomping ground.

“I am a bit nervous about it to be fair,” said Hodd.

“Going back, it will be fine with the Sussex players, and it will be nice to see them, but some of the other people around the ground it might be a bit different.

“Being a Sussex boy and having been there for quite a while, when I left it was quite a hard time for me.

“That doesn’t mean my memories of the place are bad, but coming here (to Yorkshire), I’ve fallen back in love with cricket again.”

Hodd has never let Yorkshire down when called on and has improved as a player since heading north.

He believes that is partly down to the difference in cricketing philosophy.

“I do feel like I’ve improved,” he said. “I’ll never use it as an excuse to say I was held back at Sussex, because that’s not the case, but the mindset, attitude and ethos around both places are totally different.

“I feel I’ve kind of thrived in this environment much more than I did there, and it would be nice to go back and show what I can do.

“Hopefully, we can pick up a win.”

When pressed on what the differences are, Hodd said: “Here, because it’s such a big club, and Yorkshire is such a big and proud county, it’s sink or swim.

“You either find a way or someone will take your place.

“It’s ruthless like that but, as a cricketer, you’ve got to think on your feet because if you don’t then someone else will.

“Down there (at Sussex), I found a lot was done for you; it wasn’t player-driven and you were told what to do and how to act, which works fine for some people but, for others like myself, it can be quite hard.”