Player Profiles (S-Z)
See a brief summary below, or click on a player in the left panel for a more detailed profile.
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Derek Semmence
David Sheppard
David Sheppard was born in Reigate on 6 March 1929, Surrey to Stuart Sheppard and Barbara Shepperd. Following the death of his father in the late 1930s the family moved to Sussex. He might have been one of the all time batting greats of the post-war era but his time in cricket was short for he became a bishop, a member of the House of Lords and a campaigner for the underprivileged. During his short cricketing career though he had a good Test career and was an inspiring county captain.
Sir Aubrey Smith
Sir C Aubrey Smith is perhaps best remembered as a film star playing the typical English gentleman but in his earlier days he was captain of the Sussex County Cricket Club team and for one match the captain of England, on his England debut. Smith was a tall fast-medium bowler with a particularly high action. He could also bowl a useful leg-cutter. The most interesting aspect of his play though was his curved run-up to the wicket to the wicket that earned him the nickname ‘Round the Corner’.
Don Smith
Don Smith was born in Broadwater, Worthing on 14 June 1923 and until his death on 10 January 2021 was England’s oldest living Test cricketer. He was a left-hand opening batsman, a left-arm medium pace bowler and was the first player from Worthing to win an England cap. He first played for Sussex in 1946 and in his first three seasons produced nothing remarkable but in 1949 he-began to open with John Langridge, becoming a full-time opener.
John Snow
Ken Suttle
Ken Suttle was an all-rounder who spent years serving his county without ever reaching the very highest level in cricket. He was selected to go on a tour of the West Indies but never got to play in a Test match and stands equal third with Les Berry in the list of players with most first-class runs not to have played a Test. During his career with Sussex Suttle played 423 consecutive Championship matches (August 1954-June 1969), still a world record and unlikely to be beaten. He achieved this feat whilst playing during an era when Sussex readily left out proven professionals in order to accommodate the sometimes brilliant amateurs such as David Sheppard, Hubert Doggart and the Nawab of Pataudi.
Fred Tate
Tate, nicknamed ‘Chub’ or ‘Chubby’ by his peers, was one of the first in a line of great Sussex spin bowlers who could be relied on to hold down one end of the wicket for hours at a time, keeping the pressure on and economy low while his quicker teammates did their work. Bowling long spells without loss of accuracy or fatigue, Tate was able to strangle the firepower out of even the finest batters that this era could offer.
A Happy Pakistani Trio
A Trio of Champions
These three men from Punjab on the Trent Bridge outfield have the broad smiles of a group that know they are about to achieve a truly remarkable feat, yet they are facing their last day together playing for Sussex.
They are Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Yasir Arafat, and Mushtaq Ahmed.
Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson was a quite remarkable bowler: sturdy, good-humoured, seemingly tireless. He appeared to be able to bowl all day long, and it was as if he had been bowling from the dawn of time. Of all Sussex’s medium paced bowlers, only Maurice Tate can compare with him. Being able to bowl all day and every day, he was a captain’s delight and he played for Sussex from 1952 until, 1972, twenty years of good service to what became his home club.
Joe Vine
Joe Vine was Sussex’s leading professional player during the Golden Era of Raj and Fry. He was in their shadow in the early years of his Sussex career but contributed to some wonderful opening partnerships with C.B. Fry. Once Ranji and Fry had moved on from Sussex, Vine established himself as Sussex’s leading batsman.
Vine was born in Willingdon in 1875 and played his first game for Sussex in 1896, a year after Ranji’s debut for the club. At that time Vine’s main contribution to the side was his outstanding fielding. His opportunities were limited because of the depth of Sussex batting, with not just Ranji and Fry but Brann, Newham and Murdoch. Vine did though score 115 not out against Hampshire at Hove, his maiden century in 1899, and his career rapidly developed from then.
Alan Wells
Alan Wells was born in Newhaven on 2 October 1961 and went on to become one of the best middle order batsmen Sussex have had in recent years, and in his prime in the seven years between 1989 and 1995 there were few better batsmen in England yet he won just one Test cap. In these seven years Wells made 10,157 runs at an average of 48.6 for Sussex and scored 30 hundreds but was selected for just two England ‘A’ tours, one limited overs international and the one Test.
John Wisden
John Wisden was described in the obituary which appeared in the 1885 edition of his almanack as a ‘splendid all-round cricketer in his day: a good bat a fine fielder and as a bowler unsurpassed. A quiet, unassuming and thoroughly upright man. A fast friend and a generous employer.’ John was born at the family home in Hampden Place, Brighton on 5 September.