Sussex cricket team
Encyclopedia
Sussex county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket
goes back much further than that. Sussex, jointly with Kent
, is the birthplace of the sport. It is widely believed that cricket was invented by children living on the Weald
in Saxon or Norman times.
See : History of cricket to 1696
in West Sussex failed to attend church on Easter Sunday because they were playing cricket. They were fined 12d each and made to do penance.
Cricket became established in Sussex during the 17th century and the earliest village matches took place before the English Civil War
. It is believed that the earliest county teams were formed in the aftermath of the Restoration
in 1660. In 1697, the earliest "great match" recorded was for 50 guineas apiece between two elevens at a venue in Sussex.
and Sir William Gage, 7th Baronet were first recorded in 1725. Gage's Sussex team in the 1729 season
achieved the sport's earliest known innings victory against Kent
. Given that Kent had effectively claimed the title of champion county in 1728, the first known instance of such a claim, Sussex could justifiably claim to have won the title in 1729.
From 1741
, Richmond patronised the famous Slindon Cricket Club
, whose team was representative of the county and at one stage was proclaimed to be the best team in England. Slindon's best player was the great Richard Newland
, supported by his brothers Adam and John; and by the controversial Edward Aburrow, a good cricketer but a known smuggler.
Despite some periods of decline, Sussex continued to be a major cricket county throughout the 18th century. It has been suggested by historians that the Hambledon Club
represented Sussex as well as Hampshire
for inter-county purposes. Several noted Sussex cricketers, including Richard Nyren
and Noah Mann
, played for Hambledon.
Cricket in the county saw a revival during the Regency period that coincided with the rise of Brighton
as a fashionable resort. Brighton Cricket Club
became prominent in major cricket and was for a long time representative of Sussex as a county (in the same way that Hambledon had been of Hampshire).
Sussex (aka Brighton) had a particularly successful 1792 season
when it won all four of its major matches against MCC
(three times) and Middlesex
.
and much of the credit for keeping the game alive goes to the Brighton club as well as to MCC. Brighton's reward was to see Sussex achieve great prominence in the aftermath of the war and it was the famous Sussex bowlers William Lillywhite
and Jem Broadbridge
who led the roundarm revolution
of the 1820s.
In 1836, the first steps were taken towards forming a county club, the first in cricket history. A meeting in Brighton set up a Sussex Cricket Fund to support county matches. It was from this organisation that Sussex County Cricket Club
was formally constituted on 1 March 1839.
For the history of Sussex cricket since the foundation of the county club, see : Sussex County Cricket Club
.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
goes back much further than that. Sussex, jointly with Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, is the birthplace of the sport. It is widely believed that cricket was invented by children living on the Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
in Saxon or Norman times.
See : History of cricket to 1696
History of cricket to 1696
The history of cricket to 1725 traces the sport's development from its perceived origins to the stage where it had become a major sport in England and had been introduced to other countries....
17th century
The first definite mention of cricket in Sussex relates to ecclesiastical court records in 1611 which state that two parishioners of SidleshamSidlesham
Sidlesham is a small village and civil parish, on the Manhood Peninsula, five kilometres south of Chichester in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It has a small primary school. The area has had a Prebendary since medieval times...
in West Sussex failed to attend church on Easter Sunday because they were playing cricket. They were fined 12d each and made to do penance.
Cricket became established in Sussex during the 17th century and the earliest village matches took place before the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. It is believed that the earliest county teams were formed in the aftermath of the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
in 1660. In 1697, the earliest "great match" recorded was for 50 guineas apiece between two elevens at a venue in Sussex.
18th century
Matches involving the two great Sussex patrons Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of RichmondCharles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
The 2nd Duke of Richmond has been described as early cricket's greatest patron. Although he had played cricket as a boy, his real involvement began after he succeeded to the dukedom...
and Sir William Gage, 7th Baronet were first recorded in 1725. Gage's Sussex team in the 1729 season
1729 English cricket season
The 1729 English cricket season is the one in which Samuel Johnson played at Oxford University. The season is also noted for the earliest known innings victory and the earliest known surviving cricket bat.-Matches:-Other events:...
achieved the sport's earliest known innings victory against Kent
Kent county cricket teams
Kent county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Kent, jointly with Sussex, is the birthplace of the sport...
. Given that Kent had effectively claimed the title of champion county in 1728, the first known instance of such a claim, Sussex could justifiably claim to have won the title in 1729.
From 1741
1741 English cricket season
The 1741 English cricket season was notable for the first appearance in recorded matches of the famous Slindon Cricket Club.Much of our knowledge is based on letters written by the Duke and Duchess of Richmond to each other and to the Duke of Newcastle...
, Richmond patronised the famous Slindon Cricket Club
Slindon Cricket Club
Slindon Cricket Club was famous in the middle part of the 18th century when it claimed to have the best team in England. It was located at Slindon, a village in the Arun district of Sussex....
, whose team was representative of the county and at one stage was proclaimed to be the best team in England. Slindon's best player was the great Richard Newland
Richard Newland
Richard Newland was an English cricketer in the mid-Georgian period who played for Slindon Cricket Club and Sussex under the patronage of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond. He also represented various All-England teams...
, supported by his brothers Adam and John; and by the controversial Edward Aburrow, a good cricketer but a known smuggler.
Despite some periods of decline, Sussex continued to be a major cricket county throughout the 18th century. It has been suggested by historians that the Hambledon Club
Hambledon Club
The Hambledon Club was a social club that is famous for its organisation of 18th century cricket matches. By the late 1770s it was the foremost cricket club in England.-Foundation:...
represented Sussex as well as Hampshire
Hampshire county cricket teams
Hampshire county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that...
for inter-county purposes. Several noted Sussex cricketers, including Richard Nyren
Richard Nyren
Richard "Dick" Nyren was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket during the 1760s and 1770s in the heyday of the Hambledon Club...
and Noah Mann
Noah Mann
Noah Mann was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club....
, played for Hambledon.
Cricket in the county saw a revival during the Regency period that coincided with the rise of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
as a fashionable resort. Brighton Cricket Club
Brighton Cricket Club
Brighton Cricket Club was based at Brighton, Sussex and was briefly a major cricket team, playing four known first-class matches in the 1792 season, at which time it was representative of Sussex as a county....
became prominent in major cricket and was for a long time representative of Sussex as a county (in the same way that Hambledon had been of Hampshire).
Sussex (aka Brighton) had a particularly successful 1792 season
1792 English cricket season
In the 1792 English cricket season, Kent played Hampshire at Cobham Park, which was Lord Darnley’s estate and the home of the Bligh family. Ninety years later it became the home of the Ashes in the shape of the urn brought back from Australia by the Hon...
when it won all four of its major matches against MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
(three times) and Middlesex
Middlesex county cricket teams
Middlesex county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Given that the first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford, it is almost certain that the game had reached...
.
19th century
Despite a crippling loss of manpower and investment, cricket managed to survive the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and much of the credit for keeping the game alive goes to the Brighton club as well as to MCC. Brighton's reward was to see Sussex achieve great prominence in the aftermath of the war and it was the famous Sussex bowlers William Lillywhite
William Lillywhite
Frederick William Lillywhite was a famous English cricketer during the game's roundarm era...
and Jem Broadbridge
Jem Broadbridge
James "Jem" Broadbridge was an English professional cricketer who is widely accounted the outstanding all-rounder in England during the 1820s. He is best remembered for his part in the introduction of roundarm bowling...
who led the roundarm revolution
Roundarm bowling
In cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the first quarter of the 19th century and had largely superseded underarm bowling by the 1830s. Using a roundarm action, the bowler has his arm extended at about 90 degrees from his body at the point where he releases the ball...
of the 1820s.
In 1836, the first steps were taken towards forming a county club, the first in cricket history. A meeting in Brighton set up a Sussex Cricket Fund to support county matches. It was from this organisation that Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
was formally constituted on 1 March 1839.
For the history of Sussex cricket since the foundation of the county club, see : Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
.