Jack Carson believes Sussex have worked out how to win games in the last couple of seasons.

But what used to be a very young side have had to learn a tough lesson or two along the way.

Carson, still only 23, is now a senior player for the county and has taken 20 wickets in the last two Championship fixtures.

The tide appears to have turned at Hove after tough seasons in the post-Covid years when victories became a rarity, certainly with the red ball.

Carson says it feels different now as they aim to win division two.

And the green shoots were appearing last season when they won back-to-back fixtures at Hove.

Speaking after the innings rout of Derbyshire at the 1st Central County Ground, Carson told The Argus: “I think last year was a big one for that.

“We had Leicestershire here, Worcestershire here, which were close games on flat wickets.

“We probably made quite aggressive declarations.

“They probably didn’t look too aggressive but on the pitch it felt like they were quite generous.

“A couple of games got very close and one or two we got over the line so that belief has definitely come in.

“I remember I played a game at New Road in 2021 and we had an average age of 19.

“I think we conceded 350 on the last day to lose it when we had driven the game.

“There has definitely been a flip and that is down to people getting older and more skilful and a few experienced faces coming in as well.”

Head coach Paul Farbrace has included Carson in his leadership group within the changing room.

Carson said: “We had a very young team a couple of years ago and I suppose even then, at 20 or 21, I was older than a few lads at that time.

“Saying that, it is really good to people like Ollie Rob (Robinson), Simmo (John Simpson), Hughesy (Daniel Hughes), people you can look to and go, ‘What do I need to do here? What do you think?’ and to get the assurance they can give you on an idea.

“If they think it’s good, then it gives you the belief you are doing the right things as well.

“It’s just having conversations about what we are doing as a group, who needs a bit of help, what do we need during this week.

“It is just communicating about keeping things going as a team and the environment.”

Sussex like to prepare surfaces which give everyone a chance but a pitch offering some turn can bring its own kind of pressure.

Farbrace said: “I think the biggest challenge for him is he is learning to live with the expectation of the spinning ball.

“Even the great Murali hated it when you said, ‘It’s spinning and you should get five-for’.

“No spinner I have ever met has wanted the pressure.

“Cars is showing that not only can he deal with it and cope with it but he is actually enjoying the opportunity to bowl when the ball is turning.

“He showed that at Scarborough last week and he has shown that at Hove, on a wicket which wasn’t ragging square but there was a bit.

“His control of his pace has been outstanding.”

Carson spoke after the Derbyshire game about a wickets target he had set along with Farbrace.

He has now met the goal they fixed then of 40 wickets with three games still to go.

Carson had never previously seen fit to set such an individual goal but said: “I did an appraisal after the England Lions tour.

“The coaches aren’t stupid, they knew it had been a disappointing tour with the back spasm and not playing or doing well in the games I played.

“I don’t really have much to say about the tour but my focus was to go back and do as well as I could and put up some numbers.

“That was the main thing I had in my mind at the time.

“I think setting goals – as a team, as an individual – can help you push forward.

“Farby has helped me with that.”

Sussex were back at work yesterday with the focus very much on the white ball for those, like Carson, in the Vitality Blast squad.

They host Lancashire in a long-awaited quarter-final tomorrow.