Chris Jordan has nudged his pace back up this season.

He hopes it helps speed Sussex into another Vitality Blast Finals Day.

The England white-ball star will be a key figure for the Sharks as they take on Yorkshire in the quarter-finals this evening (6.30pm).

They probably should be playing at Hove.

A series of rain-offs, including the controversial abandonment versus Surrey one ball short of a result being declared, denied them the extra point they needed for a home quarter-final.

But the long trek to the Riverside, where Yorkshire are staging the match as Headingley hosts the third Test, should hold no fears.

Jordan is enjoying a fine year with the ball, helped by surgery when cricket was on hold due to Covid.

He told The Argus: “Last year I had surgery on my arm.

“I had a little bit of a condition where I had some trapped nerves that weren’t sending signals to my bicep.

“I had a bit of a bicep wastage.

“It looks like a very deformed arm but since the surgery I have been able to put some good strength work in it and get some good function back in the arm.

“It has resulted in me being able to sneak my pace back up so I have enjoyed that.”

More pace means more variety.

He added: “The plan was to make those slower balls a bit more effective.

“And also to potentially be hit in slightly different areas.

“There are challenges but I viewed them as good challenges to have.”

Sussex let slip a final they seemed on course to win last time they were at Edgbaston on the big day, back in 2018.

They have lost two home quarter-finals since then.

Fair to say they might have under-achieved a bit in the shortest format on the county circuit?

“I call it as it is and I definitely say we have under-achieved,” Jordan said.

“We go into every single campaign, especially in the last few years, with probably quite a big squad.

“We would definitely have liked to have lifted a trophy in that period of time.

“Obviously it wasn’t meant to be.

“All we can do is look forward now.

“We have a good opportunity now.

“The most important thing is that everyone is in a good head space.

“We had some good chats (yesterday), we had a good training session.

“We are looking forward to playing the game and hopefully making it to Finals Day.”

Travis Head has returned to Australia after his overseas stint with the club while Ollie Robinson is with England for the third Test.

But Rashid Khan is available as one of several players coming back to the county from The Hundred.

Tymal Mills, George Garton, Delray Rawlins and Jordan all helped Southern Brave lift the trophy in the new event.

The transition is not expected to be a tough one.

Jordan said: “There are some tactical differences but the planning and the fundamentals don’t really change. Guys are coming at you almost every ball. It still requires the similar mindset.”

Sussex supporters will have been pleased for their players - but will no doubt have also wished such celebrations could be seen with their county in the Blast.

Similar feats from Jordan and Mills bowling at the death, for example, can be key in this T20 run-in.

Jordan said: “T is a quality performer and he has been doing it for a number of years.

“Obviously he has had his challenges with his injury and his condition as well.

“What we have seen this year is he has been able to string together a good run of games without missing them through injury.

“Once he has done that he has gone from strength to strength and has been a big part of our success as well.”

Lockie Ferguson is self-isolating and has been ruled out for Yorkshire but Adil Rashid can play.