Sussex County Cricket Club: The First County Champions and The Oval History

Sussex County Cricket Club

Sussex County Cricket Club was founded in 1839, making it one of the oldest cricket clubs in England. Sussex play their home matches at the 1st Central County Ground in Hove, a ground notable for its sea breezes — fielding in the outfield at Hove on a breezy day is an experience unique to English cricket.

First County Champions

Sussex have the unique historical distinction of winning the very first official County Championship in 1890. The County Championship had existed informally before then, but 1890 marked the first year it was officially constituted with proper rules. Sussex topped the table and claimed the inaugural title — a piece of history no other county can match.

Modern Success: Three Championships in a Row

After a long wait, Sussex experienced their greatest sustained success in the 2000s, winning the County Championship in 2003, 2006, and 2007 under the captaincy of Chris Adams and then Murray Goodwin. The trio of titles in the space of five years marked Sussex as one of the premier county sides of the modern era. Key players included Mushtaq Ahmed, whose leg-spin proved unplayable on Sussex pitches.

Notable Sussex Players

Sussex has produced and hosted many great players. Ranjitsinhji — 'Ranji' — played for Sussex and England at the turn of the 20th century and was one of the most elegant batsmen of the Edwardian era. In modern times, players such as Phil Edmonds, Imran Khan (as an overseas player), and more recently Luke Wright have starred for the county.