Time for talking is over - Jordan

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Chris Jordan has had enough of speaking about his potential and is determined to deliver for new county Sussex.

The seam-bowling all-rounder had been talked up at Surrey since bursting onto the scene in 2007, aged 18, with 20 wickets in five LV= County Championship games.

Jordan’s progress since has been hampered by injury, including a back problem that saw him miss the 2010 season.

He subsequently struggled to hold down a first-team place under team director Chris Adams and was released by Surrey in September.

Happily for Jordan, now 24, Sussex still saw his potential and this month signed him on a two-year deal.

Speaking from his native Barbados where he is spending the winter, Jordan exclusively told ecb.co.uk: “The potential’s been talked about for a while now. I don’t really want to speak about it too much.

“Now’s a time for performances. I hope to put in some good runs for Sussex.”

Despite having to make do with second XI action for much of his last two seasons at Surrey, Jordan’s self-belief is strong. That is helped by the right-hander’s 1,124 runs and 112 wickets in senior cricket.

“I was in the squad for most of the games but didn’t quite make the XI and if you’re not getting playing time then you’re not able to put those performances out that you’d like,” he said of his time under Adams.

Chris Jordan hopes to "bounce back quite strongly" at Sussex after being released by Surrey. "I hold myself in quite high regard," he told ecb.co.uk

“But that’s how it goes. Life goes on. I’m trying to move on and I’ve put that behind me now. I’m a very ambitious cricketer and I hold myself in quite high regard so I expect to bounce back quite strongly.”

Jordan’s switch from Surrey to Sussex this winter emulates that of Rory Hamilton-Brown, who joined on a three-year contract in September.

While Hamilton-Brown’s move away from the Kia Oval was motivated by the death of close friend and Surrey team-mate Tom Maynard, Jordan’s is aimed to kick-start his career.

“I didn’t think there was a much better place than Sussex to continue my cricketing development really,” he revealed. “I got a real good feel about the place.”

Even before he went to look round the PROBIZ County Ground, Jordan had a positive impression of a club that has recently enjoyed success in all domestic formats.

Although he did not seek Hamilton-Brown’s advice in making his move, Jordan spoke to former Sussex seamer Corey Collymore - a fellow Bardabian plying his trade in London.

With reference to Hamilton-Brown, who began his career at Surrey before switching to Sussex and back again, Jordan said: “He left on good terms as well before he came and captained Surrey. Me and him have been quite good friends from even before we were at Surrey first time.

“With him leaving Sussex and moving back to Surrey, he always had very good things to say about the club.

“I also spoke to Corey Collymore, who plays for Middlesex. Me and him are very good friends as well and he had very good things to say about the club as well.

“Quite a few people had some good things to say about the club. I saw these good things myself so I thought it would be a good move.”

When Jordan joined Sussex, their professional cricket manager Mark Robinson spoke of his belief that the all-rounder could play for England.

Much like his potential, Jordan - who could also represent West Indies - does not want to think about international prospects.

“At this point in time there’s no point in me even talking about international cricket,” he admitted.

“At the minute I’m just concentrating on getting my body in the right shape and getting my mind in the right shape as well to do well for Sussex.

“And if international honours come on the back end of that then so be it, but my primary focus is on doing well for Sussex so I intend on keeping it that way for the time being.”

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