Juan Albion
Chicken Sniffer 3rd Class
Lord Bracknell said:
Did anyone tell Adams? Nothing else makes any sense.
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Sussex v Surrey @ Hove
- Thread starter Italiaseagull
- Start date
Did anyone tell Adams? Nothing else makes any sense.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
South Africa 682/6 declared
Leaving England 509 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Provided England can score 700, they should scrape a draw.
Kirtley in!
Leaving England 509 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Provided England can score 700, they should scrape a draw.
Kirtley in!
Lord Bracknell
On fire
Surrey 82/1
IJ Ward lbw b Davis 33
45 mins to get another 9 wickets.
IJ Ward lbw b Davis 33
45 mins to get another 9 wickets.
Fluffster said:
As a three horse race for the title!
I think this is how the top three will look when updated, my maths isn't that great though...
1. Surrey... played 11... points... 170
2. Sussex... played 11... points... 166
3. Lancashire... played 10... points... 139
Sussex & Lancashire still have to play each other home & away! Looks like Surrey have a fairly easy run in, probably thier title AGAIN!
England now 60/2 and playing some dreadful shots, Trescothick this time, this is fuckin comical!
David Graveney OUT NOW!
Last edited:
Italiaseagull
New member
- Thread starter
- #508
Bowling Bowling Mushy! I'm off to snort some more Grolsch!
Sat through all 4 days. Day 1 & 2 great. But Adams lost the plot on day 3 & 4. Firstly coming off for bad light on Friday which cost us 100 - 150 runs. I could see alright from Jim Parkes bar. Today we should have scored much faster in the morning and then declared earlier in the afternoon. We have not got the bottle to win the championship. Surrrey must be laughing at us as they drive home.
PS the great Paul Samrah stood behind me in the north west corner for most of the afternoon. Should I be worried ?
PS the great Paul Samrah stood behind me in the north west corner for most of the afternoon. Should I be worried ?
Italiaseagull
New member
- Thread starter
- #510
I was feeling a bit nostalgic and so decided to drag this to the top.
Ahhhhhhh happy memories.
Ahhhhhhh happy memories.
The Large One
Who's Next?
SUSSEX NEWSLETTER
Issue Forty-Seven October 2003
Sussex, 2003 County Champions!
Get yourself a cup of tea, put your feet up - this is a long newsletter!
The celebrations have only just died down but it‚s very hard to keep a grin off Peter Moores‚ and Chris Adams‚ faces. History has been made and it was by one of the smallest squads in County cricket. Congratulations to every member of the squad, the coaching staff, groundstaff, admin and match-day staff. They all made their contribution whether it was with wickets, runs, keeping up morale, fine tuning their style or keeping the pitches perfect.
There has been a lot said about Sussex‚s success being down to team spirit and we‚re glad to say that this team spirit was shown by everyone connected with Sussex. There has never been any doubt about the camaraderie of the squad but this was also shown by those who have followed Sussex‚s fortunes. We are so grateful to everyone who has shown their true colours of blue and gold, we couldn‚t have done it without you.
There is no better team this season and the gold Championship trophy that now sits proudly at HQ in Eaton Road is proof of that and the number of letters, emails, faxes and vocal wishes of congratulations from all four corners of the earth are testament to the fact that Sussex have some of the best supporters! In fact Jonathan Franklin emailed to tell us that after the presentation of the trophy, ten of his bell ringers rang a peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal at Warnham to congratulate the new County Champions. „It took 2 hours 13 minutes - not quite as long as Murray's innings, but what the hell. It was important to ring it before the hangover set in!‰
Of course, there are always the detractors. The grape harvest in the Garden of Kent was slightly on the tart side - it‚s to be expected that the opposition have a few bitter thoughts about what could have been but it comes to something when you start having negative comments made by your own supporters. One such example was from a gentleman (a Member too!) who called the Club in August with a general enquiry. He went on to say how well the team was doing and that he hoped they could keep up the momentum. He continued by saying, „if Surrey don‚t win the Championship, however, they will have been robbed as they are the better team.‰ The worst bit was that he didn‚t think anything wrong with his comment! Let‚s just remember that Sussex won 10 of their 16 games, Surrey could only manage six.
********************************
The atmosphere at the Club was a tense one during the last few weeks and when the team headed off to Old Trafford it was fully expected that the Championship would be won in Lancashire and Mushy would take his 100th wicket. But it was not to be, for whatever reasons the Sussex surge to the top faltered and we suffered our first Championship defeat since May. The vital points were not attained, Mushy remained wicketless for the first time and the title race was taken back to Hove, just where it should have been.
Hove, September 17th v Leicestershire and naturally there was a very large crowd gathering to play their part in the Club‚s history. Six points lay between Sussex and the trophy.
Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bat, thus ensuring that the Championship would certainly not be won on the first day but at least we knew that Mushy‚s ton would be imminent.
With one wicket down and on that old bogey score of 111 the Mushtaq magic came into play. Mushy took Brad Hodge‚s wicket with the last ball before lunch; a fizzing leg break pitched on middle stump and hit the top of long of off. Aeroplaning around the pitch Mushy was one ecstatic bowler mobbed by his equally ecstatic team mates. It had been a long wait for this one wicket, 45 overs to be exact since he dismissed Middlesex‚s Joe Dawes eleven days previously. But patience is a virtue for Mushtaq and it certainly paid off. He ended his season with 103 wickets, the first bowler to take 100 since Andy Caddick in 1998.
The ball that took that 100th wicket was duly kept aside by the umpires and mounted as a special award for Mushtaq.
There was a post-lunch Leicestershire collapse and they ended their innings with 179.
Sussex took to the crease with half the points they needed. Three more batting points were imperative - a score of 300. At the end of play the Sussex score was 167 for 1, the only wicket lost being that of Richard Montgomerie c Nixon b De Freitas for 10.
Thursday morning ˆ Goodwin and Cottey made good progress and when Cottey walked with a score of 56 it was left to Murray and Captain Chris Adams to take the Club to the dizzy heights of 300 and all that would entail. Murray had already made it clear in the dressing room that he would very much like to hit the winning runs, and although he kept the crowd on tenterhooks, the score hovering on 298 for what seemed eons, he hit a magnificent four to secure the Championship. 1.44pm, 18 September 2003 ˆ the ultimate county cricketing accolade had been won.
Chris Adams leapt into the air three times, both arms raised in celebration, Sussex by the Sea thundered out from the loudspeaker system and James Kirtley led the rest of the squad out onto the pitch to join Murray and Chris in the moment‚s celebrations.
We extend our thanks to a couple of extremely patient umpires and the Leicestershire team who halted play for a good ten minutes to allow the Sussex squad make an emotional lap of honour. Tears were aplenty from everyone (bar the Leicestershire supporters).
There were a few that thought that the minor distraction of winning the Club‚s first Championship trophy in the competition‚s 113 year history might have an affect on the duo at the crease. Not so. Strengthened by this victory the Sussex boys went on to declare on 614 for 4. Murray carried his bat throughout and not satisfied with winning the trophy he went on to become the highest scoring Sussex batsman in the Club‚s history. His unbeaten 335 (the highest score in English cricket this season) passed Duleepsinhji‚s 333 in 1930. It was to win Murray the Club‚s annual award for ŒMost Outstanding Performance of the Year‚ and in such a year there had been so many other contenders.
A tired but elated Goodwin said afterwards, „This is just awesome. It is right up there with anything I have ever achieved in cricket ˆ Test match victories and all. It is really humbling to be Sussex‚s highest-ever scorer, amazing when you think of all the great cricketers who have played for this county.‰
Sore heads were always going to be the order of the day and the champagne corks could be heard popping as far as the seafront. At close of play Leicestershire were 38 for 2 but in all honesty the game‚s score or result was forgotten as the crowd gathered beneath the players‚ balcony to cheer their team. The trophy was still in the hands of the ECB, it had always been planned to present it after play on the Friday, but that didn‚t stop everyone celebrating and toasting the 2003 squad for this incredible achievement.
This would probably account for the very long time it took Sussex to bowl Leicestershire out on the Friday. Being tee-total Mushtaq was the only player with a clear head the next day and play went on almost to the scheduled end of play.
The trophy had arrived in all its gleaming glory, the Frizzell Championship boards placed up on the balcony and the officials gathered to make the presentation.
The players remained on the pitch at the end of play, completely surrounded by ecstatic well-wishers and were then called onto the balcony one by one. A wonderful speech by John Carr of the ECB was slightly marred by his mistake of calling us Surrey, which was received remarkably well, even the boos were jovial. And then the trophy was handed over to the Sussex captain. Unfortunately it wasn‚t seen by the majority of supporters as the world‚s press had taken the prime positions blocking out the entire presentation party! The papers must get their copy! Rest assured that next year, when Sussex retain the title the chaos will be a little more controlled, either that or we‚ll make Chris et al wear stilts.
The noise was deafening when the trophy was held aloft (when you could see it!), almost as deafening as the Chairman‚s emotional singing of Sussex By the Sea! Fireworks erupted from on top of the Gilligan stand and confetti showered down on the Captain as he took the trophy. Speeches were made and tears shed as the realisation of Sussex‚s achievement slowly began to dawn. Chris Adams made a wonderful speech thanking all those who had made this dream possible and there were cheers all around when he spoke of one person absent from all this celebration ˆ Umer. There is no doubt that Umer had been in the players‚ thoughts throughout the season and this Championship trophy is as much his as any other player‚s.
Even more champagne was drunk well into the night, players disposed of their season‚s kit by throwing items over the balcony to their clamouring fans (the line was drawn at under garments). I‚m not sure if we had any complaints from the residents, perhaps they decided that the circumstances were so exceptional that they‚d turn a blind eye, even when the annual player streak was performed across the outfield.
With the game wrapped up on Friday the players had Saturday off and this enabled them to attend the Brighton & Hove Albion match v Sheffield Wednesday at Withdean Stadium. They took the trophy with them and were invited by the club Chairman, Dick Knight, to take a lap of honour around the ground. They expected a few cheers and calls of Œwell done‚ but they were treated to somewhat more. The crowds stood tall for the Sussex boys and sang all the verses to Sussex by The Sea (cricket supporters only seem to know the main stanza!) and hailed them as Champions again and again. Many of the Sussex players were reduced to having moisture in their eyes (get them to admit to crying!) and goose bumps, all of which meant that even more celebrating had to be done.
The Sunday NCL match against Somerset has also gone down in the history books as having one of the highest innings scores in domestic one-day cricket. Unfortunately it was Somerset who attained this by scoring 377. In reply Sussex scored quite a respectable 186 when considering the amount of celebrating they‚d been doing since the Thursday.
The Sussex crowd got their chance to hold the coveted trophy during the Sunday match as our Chief Executive; Hugh Griffiths spent the whole day taking the trophy round the ground so everyone could share in it.
*************************************
Everything else seems so pale in comparison now, but on to the rest of the news, gossip and information.
BONFIRE NIGHT! ˆ This is making its welcome return to the County Ground on Wednesday 5 November. Gates open at 6.00pm and fireworks start at 7.30pm. Prices are £6 adults, £4 under 12s.
*************************************
The Club Shop will be stocking special Championship commemorative items this week. They will be available in person during the shop hours of Wednesdays 3.30pm to 6.30pm and Saturdays 10.00am to 1pm. They will also be in the online shop from Tuesday 21 October. https://www.sussexcricket.co.uk/merchandise/club_shop/Default.asp
*************************************
A very special video was made during the last three weeks of the Championship campaign. Barney Douglas, one of our two regular Crickstat cameramen, swapped over to a camcorder and followed the team in and out of the dressing room, onto the pitch, back off the pitch, into team meetings etc and is currently putting together a celebration film. This will be available in the beginning of December and again will be available in the Club Shop. We are still investigating the possibility of getting this in DVD format.
A Championship keepsake brochure is also in production. This will be a 24 page A4 book commemorating the 2003 season and will be in the Club Shop early December.
*************************************
The Club do have other plans to celebrate the Championship and these will be release as soon as they are confirmed.
*************************************
On October 22 the Club are to be presented to the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace. Chris Adams and Clare Connor will front the Sussex party and introduce each of their Championship winning team mates to His Royal Highness. The trophies will once again be officially presented, commemorative silver medals awarded and then it‚s off to the Lord‚s Taverners‚ HQ for a slap-up lunch!
*************************************
The winter edition of Hove & Away is being put to bed and will be posted out to Members the second week of November.
*************************************
The press coverage of the Championship was amazing and our thanks to all our local media that have supported us during the season. Coverage has been patchy in certain areas of Sussex from certain television companies but this can‚t be said of BBC Southampton. On the day that we secured the title they did all their live links from the ground keeping supporters up to date with the team‚s progress. In fact one daring executive made the decision to scrap the mid-day news and just keep with the live link to Hove. The 300th run was imminent and they were keen to capture it on live television. But as anyone who was present will remember, the score hovered on 298 a pretty long time and with ŒNeighbours‚ about to start the BBC were obliged to stop their live coverage. Imagine the groans in the studio when the winning ball was hit just one minute later!
*************************************
Sussex Supporters‚ Club Committee member, Bernard Frost went on a Baltics Capitals cruise at the beginning of August this year and found another Sussex waif and stray ˆ the captain! Not our Chris Adams, but Captain John Wisden, descendant of Sussex and England cricketer John Wisden. This Wisden‚s only cricketing claim to fame, however, was a golden duck in the County Under 14s trial in 1968!
*************************************
The provisional fixture list has been delayed and whereas we usually have it available at the beginning of November it is more likely to be late November now. We will post it on the website as soon as we have it.
PLAYER NEWS
Mushtaq was so calm about the last Championship match that he forgot his kit! A speedy Cricket Administrator had to rush back to Mushy‚s place to get his whites before play started!
*************************************
A few days before the Old Trafford match the players were in the Hove nets training when Mushy got a lot more than he was expecting from bowler Montgomerie. The Œball‚ smashed into pieces on impact, Monty had bowled him a red apple from one of the trees bordering the pitch.
*************************************
James remained out with shin splints for the rest of the season but he was named as part of the England One Day squad for Sri Lanka. The shin splints prevented him from being named as Jimmy Anderson‚s replacement for the Test Match tour to Bangladesh. James leaves England on October 27 and we wish him the very best of luck with the series.
*************************************
Ins and outs ˆ at the time of writing we are still awaiting confirmation of player contracts but this is the news so far:
Bas left just before the end of the season and is looking to further his cricket career at another county. We will keep you informed of any news. Billy Taylor requested that he be allowed to leave Sussex. He has been offered a contract by his home county of Hampshire. Shaun Rashid‚s one year contract was not extended.
The only player at present to be confirmed to be joining Sussex is Ian Ward on a four year deal. Wardy announced he was to leave Surrey just before the end of the season and it was widely believed that he was to join Somerset as their new captain. But it was Sussex he opted for and one of the main reasons was the opportunity to work alongside Peter Moores once more. Wardy and Peter were on the England A tour to the West Indies a few years back and Ian was more than impressed by Peter‚s coaching methods, „He ran the England A side extremely well and his enthusiasm was infectious. His success at Sussex is there for all to see and I‚m keen to be a part of it all, he really is one of the best coaches I‚ve ever worked with.‰
*************************************
End of Season Player Award results!
1st XI Player of the Year - Mushtaq Ahmed (could it be anyone else!)
2nd XI Player of the Year - Andrew Hodd
1st XI Fielder of the Year - Richard Montgomerie
2nd XI Fielder of the Year - Carl Hopkinson
The Umer Rashid Award for Most Improved Player - Matty Prior
Team Man of the Year - Tony Cottey
Outstanding Performance of the Year - Murray Goodwin 335* v Leics at Hove
Academy Player of the Year - Rosalie Birch
PCA Player of the Year (voted for by the country's cricketers) - Mushtaq Ahmed.
Frizzell Championship Player of the Year ˆ Mushtaq Ahmed
County Champions of the Year - SUSSEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ends.....
Issue Forty-Seven October 2003
Sussex, 2003 County Champions!
Get yourself a cup of tea, put your feet up - this is a long newsletter!
The celebrations have only just died down but it‚s very hard to keep a grin off Peter Moores‚ and Chris Adams‚ faces. History has been made and it was by one of the smallest squads in County cricket. Congratulations to every member of the squad, the coaching staff, groundstaff, admin and match-day staff. They all made their contribution whether it was with wickets, runs, keeping up morale, fine tuning their style or keeping the pitches perfect.
There has been a lot said about Sussex‚s success being down to team spirit and we‚re glad to say that this team spirit was shown by everyone connected with Sussex. There has never been any doubt about the camaraderie of the squad but this was also shown by those who have followed Sussex‚s fortunes. We are so grateful to everyone who has shown their true colours of blue and gold, we couldn‚t have done it without you.
There is no better team this season and the gold Championship trophy that now sits proudly at HQ in Eaton Road is proof of that and the number of letters, emails, faxes and vocal wishes of congratulations from all four corners of the earth are testament to the fact that Sussex have some of the best supporters! In fact Jonathan Franklin emailed to tell us that after the presentation of the trophy, ten of his bell ringers rang a peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal at Warnham to congratulate the new County Champions. „It took 2 hours 13 minutes - not quite as long as Murray's innings, but what the hell. It was important to ring it before the hangover set in!‰
Of course, there are always the detractors. The grape harvest in the Garden of Kent was slightly on the tart side - it‚s to be expected that the opposition have a few bitter thoughts about what could have been but it comes to something when you start having negative comments made by your own supporters. One such example was from a gentleman (a Member too!) who called the Club in August with a general enquiry. He went on to say how well the team was doing and that he hoped they could keep up the momentum. He continued by saying, „if Surrey don‚t win the Championship, however, they will have been robbed as they are the better team.‰ The worst bit was that he didn‚t think anything wrong with his comment! Let‚s just remember that Sussex won 10 of their 16 games, Surrey could only manage six.
********************************
The atmosphere at the Club was a tense one during the last few weeks and when the team headed off to Old Trafford it was fully expected that the Championship would be won in Lancashire and Mushy would take his 100th wicket. But it was not to be, for whatever reasons the Sussex surge to the top faltered and we suffered our first Championship defeat since May. The vital points were not attained, Mushy remained wicketless for the first time and the title race was taken back to Hove, just where it should have been.
Hove, September 17th v Leicestershire and naturally there was a very large crowd gathering to play their part in the Club‚s history. Six points lay between Sussex and the trophy.
Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bat, thus ensuring that the Championship would certainly not be won on the first day but at least we knew that Mushy‚s ton would be imminent.
With one wicket down and on that old bogey score of 111 the Mushtaq magic came into play. Mushy took Brad Hodge‚s wicket with the last ball before lunch; a fizzing leg break pitched on middle stump and hit the top of long of off. Aeroplaning around the pitch Mushy was one ecstatic bowler mobbed by his equally ecstatic team mates. It had been a long wait for this one wicket, 45 overs to be exact since he dismissed Middlesex‚s Joe Dawes eleven days previously. But patience is a virtue for Mushtaq and it certainly paid off. He ended his season with 103 wickets, the first bowler to take 100 since Andy Caddick in 1998.
The ball that took that 100th wicket was duly kept aside by the umpires and mounted as a special award for Mushtaq.
There was a post-lunch Leicestershire collapse and they ended their innings with 179.
Sussex took to the crease with half the points they needed. Three more batting points were imperative - a score of 300. At the end of play the Sussex score was 167 for 1, the only wicket lost being that of Richard Montgomerie c Nixon b De Freitas for 10.
Thursday morning ˆ Goodwin and Cottey made good progress and when Cottey walked with a score of 56 it was left to Murray and Captain Chris Adams to take the Club to the dizzy heights of 300 and all that would entail. Murray had already made it clear in the dressing room that he would very much like to hit the winning runs, and although he kept the crowd on tenterhooks, the score hovering on 298 for what seemed eons, he hit a magnificent four to secure the Championship. 1.44pm, 18 September 2003 ˆ the ultimate county cricketing accolade had been won.
Chris Adams leapt into the air three times, both arms raised in celebration, Sussex by the Sea thundered out from the loudspeaker system and James Kirtley led the rest of the squad out onto the pitch to join Murray and Chris in the moment‚s celebrations.
We extend our thanks to a couple of extremely patient umpires and the Leicestershire team who halted play for a good ten minutes to allow the Sussex squad make an emotional lap of honour. Tears were aplenty from everyone (bar the Leicestershire supporters).
There were a few that thought that the minor distraction of winning the Club‚s first Championship trophy in the competition‚s 113 year history might have an affect on the duo at the crease. Not so. Strengthened by this victory the Sussex boys went on to declare on 614 for 4. Murray carried his bat throughout and not satisfied with winning the trophy he went on to become the highest scoring Sussex batsman in the Club‚s history. His unbeaten 335 (the highest score in English cricket this season) passed Duleepsinhji‚s 333 in 1930. It was to win Murray the Club‚s annual award for ŒMost Outstanding Performance of the Year‚ and in such a year there had been so many other contenders.
A tired but elated Goodwin said afterwards, „This is just awesome. It is right up there with anything I have ever achieved in cricket ˆ Test match victories and all. It is really humbling to be Sussex‚s highest-ever scorer, amazing when you think of all the great cricketers who have played for this county.‰
Sore heads were always going to be the order of the day and the champagne corks could be heard popping as far as the seafront. At close of play Leicestershire were 38 for 2 but in all honesty the game‚s score or result was forgotten as the crowd gathered beneath the players‚ balcony to cheer their team. The trophy was still in the hands of the ECB, it had always been planned to present it after play on the Friday, but that didn‚t stop everyone celebrating and toasting the 2003 squad for this incredible achievement.
This would probably account for the very long time it took Sussex to bowl Leicestershire out on the Friday. Being tee-total Mushtaq was the only player with a clear head the next day and play went on almost to the scheduled end of play.
The trophy had arrived in all its gleaming glory, the Frizzell Championship boards placed up on the balcony and the officials gathered to make the presentation.
The players remained on the pitch at the end of play, completely surrounded by ecstatic well-wishers and were then called onto the balcony one by one. A wonderful speech by John Carr of the ECB was slightly marred by his mistake of calling us Surrey, which was received remarkably well, even the boos were jovial. And then the trophy was handed over to the Sussex captain. Unfortunately it wasn‚t seen by the majority of supporters as the world‚s press had taken the prime positions blocking out the entire presentation party! The papers must get their copy! Rest assured that next year, when Sussex retain the title the chaos will be a little more controlled, either that or we‚ll make Chris et al wear stilts.
The noise was deafening when the trophy was held aloft (when you could see it!), almost as deafening as the Chairman‚s emotional singing of Sussex By the Sea! Fireworks erupted from on top of the Gilligan stand and confetti showered down on the Captain as he took the trophy. Speeches were made and tears shed as the realisation of Sussex‚s achievement slowly began to dawn. Chris Adams made a wonderful speech thanking all those who had made this dream possible and there were cheers all around when he spoke of one person absent from all this celebration ˆ Umer. There is no doubt that Umer had been in the players‚ thoughts throughout the season and this Championship trophy is as much his as any other player‚s.
Even more champagne was drunk well into the night, players disposed of their season‚s kit by throwing items over the balcony to their clamouring fans (the line was drawn at under garments). I‚m not sure if we had any complaints from the residents, perhaps they decided that the circumstances were so exceptional that they‚d turn a blind eye, even when the annual player streak was performed across the outfield.
With the game wrapped up on Friday the players had Saturday off and this enabled them to attend the Brighton & Hove Albion match v Sheffield Wednesday at Withdean Stadium. They took the trophy with them and were invited by the club Chairman, Dick Knight, to take a lap of honour around the ground. They expected a few cheers and calls of Œwell done‚ but they were treated to somewhat more. The crowds stood tall for the Sussex boys and sang all the verses to Sussex by The Sea (cricket supporters only seem to know the main stanza!) and hailed them as Champions again and again. Many of the Sussex players were reduced to having moisture in their eyes (get them to admit to crying!) and goose bumps, all of which meant that even more celebrating had to be done.
The Sunday NCL match against Somerset has also gone down in the history books as having one of the highest innings scores in domestic one-day cricket. Unfortunately it was Somerset who attained this by scoring 377. In reply Sussex scored quite a respectable 186 when considering the amount of celebrating they‚d been doing since the Thursday.
The Sussex crowd got their chance to hold the coveted trophy during the Sunday match as our Chief Executive; Hugh Griffiths spent the whole day taking the trophy round the ground so everyone could share in it.
*************************************
Everything else seems so pale in comparison now, but on to the rest of the news, gossip and information.
BONFIRE NIGHT! ˆ This is making its welcome return to the County Ground on Wednesday 5 November. Gates open at 6.00pm and fireworks start at 7.30pm. Prices are £6 adults, £4 under 12s.
*************************************
The Club Shop will be stocking special Championship commemorative items this week. They will be available in person during the shop hours of Wednesdays 3.30pm to 6.30pm and Saturdays 10.00am to 1pm. They will also be in the online shop from Tuesday 21 October. https://www.sussexcricket.co.uk/merchandise/club_shop/Default.asp
*************************************
A very special video was made during the last three weeks of the Championship campaign. Barney Douglas, one of our two regular Crickstat cameramen, swapped over to a camcorder and followed the team in and out of the dressing room, onto the pitch, back off the pitch, into team meetings etc and is currently putting together a celebration film. This will be available in the beginning of December and again will be available in the Club Shop. We are still investigating the possibility of getting this in DVD format.
A Championship keepsake brochure is also in production. This will be a 24 page A4 book commemorating the 2003 season and will be in the Club Shop early December.
*************************************
The Club do have other plans to celebrate the Championship and these will be release as soon as they are confirmed.
*************************************
On October 22 the Club are to be presented to the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace. Chris Adams and Clare Connor will front the Sussex party and introduce each of their Championship winning team mates to His Royal Highness. The trophies will once again be officially presented, commemorative silver medals awarded and then it‚s off to the Lord‚s Taverners‚ HQ for a slap-up lunch!
*************************************
The winter edition of Hove & Away is being put to bed and will be posted out to Members the second week of November.
*************************************
The press coverage of the Championship was amazing and our thanks to all our local media that have supported us during the season. Coverage has been patchy in certain areas of Sussex from certain television companies but this can‚t be said of BBC Southampton. On the day that we secured the title they did all their live links from the ground keeping supporters up to date with the team‚s progress. In fact one daring executive made the decision to scrap the mid-day news and just keep with the live link to Hove. The 300th run was imminent and they were keen to capture it on live television. But as anyone who was present will remember, the score hovered on 298 a pretty long time and with ŒNeighbours‚ about to start the BBC were obliged to stop their live coverage. Imagine the groans in the studio when the winning ball was hit just one minute later!
*************************************
Sussex Supporters‚ Club Committee member, Bernard Frost went on a Baltics Capitals cruise at the beginning of August this year and found another Sussex waif and stray ˆ the captain! Not our Chris Adams, but Captain John Wisden, descendant of Sussex and England cricketer John Wisden. This Wisden‚s only cricketing claim to fame, however, was a golden duck in the County Under 14s trial in 1968!
*************************************
The provisional fixture list has been delayed and whereas we usually have it available at the beginning of November it is more likely to be late November now. We will post it on the website as soon as we have it.
PLAYER NEWS
Mushtaq was so calm about the last Championship match that he forgot his kit! A speedy Cricket Administrator had to rush back to Mushy‚s place to get his whites before play started!
*************************************
A few days before the Old Trafford match the players were in the Hove nets training when Mushy got a lot more than he was expecting from bowler Montgomerie. The Œball‚ smashed into pieces on impact, Monty had bowled him a red apple from one of the trees bordering the pitch.
*************************************
James remained out with shin splints for the rest of the season but he was named as part of the England One Day squad for Sri Lanka. The shin splints prevented him from being named as Jimmy Anderson‚s replacement for the Test Match tour to Bangladesh. James leaves England on October 27 and we wish him the very best of luck with the series.
*************************************
Ins and outs ˆ at the time of writing we are still awaiting confirmation of player contracts but this is the news so far:
Bas left just before the end of the season and is looking to further his cricket career at another county. We will keep you informed of any news. Billy Taylor requested that he be allowed to leave Sussex. He has been offered a contract by his home county of Hampshire. Shaun Rashid‚s one year contract was not extended.
The only player at present to be confirmed to be joining Sussex is Ian Ward on a four year deal. Wardy announced he was to leave Surrey just before the end of the season and it was widely believed that he was to join Somerset as their new captain. But it was Sussex he opted for and one of the main reasons was the opportunity to work alongside Peter Moores once more. Wardy and Peter were on the England A tour to the West Indies a few years back and Ian was more than impressed by Peter‚s coaching methods, „He ran the England A side extremely well and his enthusiasm was infectious. His success at Sussex is there for all to see and I‚m keen to be a part of it all, he really is one of the best coaches I‚ve ever worked with.‰
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End of Season Player Award results!
1st XI Player of the Year - Mushtaq Ahmed (could it be anyone else!)
2nd XI Player of the Year - Andrew Hodd
1st XI Fielder of the Year - Richard Montgomerie
2nd XI Fielder of the Year - Carl Hopkinson
The Umer Rashid Award for Most Improved Player - Matty Prior
Team Man of the Year - Tony Cottey
Outstanding Performance of the Year - Murray Goodwin 335* v Leics at Hove
Academy Player of the Year - Rosalie Birch
PCA Player of the Year (voted for by the country's cricketers) - Mushtaq Ahmed.
Frizzell Championship Player of the Year ˆ Mushtaq Ahmed
County Champions of the Year - SUSSEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ends.....