Anniversaries in 2026

In 1756, two hundred and seventy years ago, we find references, mostly in diaries, to formal cricket matches bring played in several Sussex villages, among them East Hoathly, Framfield, Lindfield and Mayfield. The game had moved from being a ‘pastime’ to a sport.

Two hundred years ago, in September 1826, John Wisden was born in Crown Street, Brighton. He played 82 matches now recognised as first class for Sussex between 1845 and 1863, taking 580 wickets for the county. After his retirement as a player he started a cricket almanack which has achieved legendary status for accuracy: 2026 will see its 163rd issue.

In 1836, after a public meeting in Brighton Town Hall on 23rd June, a committee of gentlemen, under the patronage of the third Earl of Egremont, was set up to form a Sussex Cricketing Fund ‘for the amusement of visitors and inhabitants’. In effect it was the forerunner of our present County Club.

Wisden’s matches for Sussex included one against MCC at Lord’s in 1856, 170 years ago. Arranged for three days but completed in just one, 2nd June, his prowess wasn’t enough to prevent MCC winning by an easy nine wickets. It didn’t help that Sussex scored just 23 in their second innings!

In 1876, 150 years ago, Sussex’s own Tom Box, ‘the Adonis of the Cricket Field’, died while operating the scoreboard at Prince’s Ground in Chelsea. Born at Ardingly in 1808, Sussex owe him much: he kept wicket in 122 matches for the county and was one-time lessee of the cricket ground at The Level in Brighton, and the Royal Brunswick on Hove seafront, staging many of the county’s early representative matches.

In 1896, 130 years ago, the Australian touring side played five first-class matches here in Sussex. Their first was at Sheffield Park, Fletching in early May, against Lord Sheffield’s XI, and there were further visits, to The Saffrons, Eastbourne against South of England later that month; Lord de la Warr’s XI at Bexhill in early August; against Sussex here at Hove later that month; and against South of England at Priory Meadow, Hastings in early September, the last match of the tour. Results? Three were drawn, and visitors won one; home sides one. The Bexhill match was the only first-class fixture ever played in the town; the Sheffield Park match was its last first-class fixture. It wouldn’t happen now!

There are two special events to recall in 1906, one hundred and twenty years ago. In his first Championship match for Sussex, against Derbyshire at Hove, Ben Dwyer, our new Australian import, took nine for 35 in the visitors’ second innings. This is the best bowling return achieved by any player in his first Championship match. Also in 1906, Sussex staged their first-ever Championship match at Priory Park, Chichester, a drawn match with Hampshire. Sussex staged 16 first-class matches at the ground, the last being in 1950.

In June 1926, one hundred years ago, George Cox senior, then aged 52, took seventeen wickets with his left-arm medium pace in the Championship match against Warwickshire at Horsham. He took eight for 56 in the first innings and nine for 50 in the second, sending down 75 overs in all. There have been only thirteen instances of seventeen wickets in all Championship cricket.

One hundred years ago, on 4 October 1926, the first-ever meeting of the Women’s Cricket Association was held at Buckingham Gate in Westminster, with some fifteen counties being represented. Sadly Sussex were missing. In 1927, however, Roedean School and Burwash Ladies were registered with the Association.

At Hove, in May 1956 Sussex, led by Robin Marlar had one of their strange old Championship scraps with Wilf Wooller’s Glamorgan. After Sussex had scored 379 on the first day, Glamorgan batted throughout the second and third days solely to avoid losing, scoring in all 264 runs off 199 overs. On the second day they scored 143 runs, the fewest runs against Sussex in a full day’s play in a championship match. All eleven Sussex players bowled in the Glamorgan second innings, the third of three Sussex instances in the competition.

Sixty years ago, in May 1966, Tony Greig, then aged nineteen, played his first matches for Sussex. Here at Hove he opened the bowling for the Second Eleven against Surrey II taking two for 38 in his first contribution for Sussex. Playing through to 1978 he appeared in 209 first-class and 155 limited-overs matches for the county. Yes, and 58 Tests for England.

Forty years ago, in September 1986, Sussex, led by Ian Gould, beat Lancashire to win the Nat West Trophy, still sixty overs, at Lord’s. Dermot Reeve (Player of the Match) took four for 20, and Paul Parker top-scored with 85. Sussex have won the knockout title five times.

It's now twenty years since Sussex won the County Championship for the second time, taking the 2006 title by beating Nottinghamshire by an innings at Trent Bridge in late September. Led by Chris Adams, Murray Goodwin was the season’s leading run-scorer and Mushtaq Ahmed the leading wicket-taker. A couple of weeks earlier Sussex had already won the C and G fifty-over trophy at Lord’s, beating Lancashire, with James Kirtley Man of the Match, taking five for 27, all lbw.

D.J.     4.xi.2025