*** YB Pro 40 Sussex vs Northants June 16th Arundel ***

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I know Sussex have played competitive games all over the county at one time or another. I do remember watching an afternoons cricket at Hastings while on holiday down there. The Saffrons in Eastbourne was also used quite often and historically, County cricket was played at The Manor Ground in Worthing in the '60's. However, the facilities on these grounds needed lots of improvement and a increasingly higher standard of pitches as the game became ever more professional.

A lot of the grounds were owned by the local town councils or the clubs and I think there were complications over who would pay for the improvements and increased groundskeepng costs, given that sometimes there would only be a 3 day game and a one day game once each season. Sussex CCC could not pay to have 4 grounds of county standard maintained year long so things had to give . On paper,Sussex CCC like to play outside of the county ground as a way of increasing interest and bringing on the local cricketers who may aspire to play for the county but financial practicalities limit this to only a few games a year.

Most of your points are very valid. I used to be heavily involved with Horsham cc especially before during and after county week. At that time Horsham had a full time groundsman living in the house in the corner of the ground. The deal was Horsham kept all bar/beer tent takings and on a the Sunday the Horsham ladies did the catering for the players/officials for which the county paid them. The bonus was after lunch and prior to the start of the game the dinning area was vacated and allowed to become an eating area for members etc this raised a large amount for the club. The championship game was always a no go area apart from players/officials. Being that I and often my brother used to do the scoreboard we used sit with the umpires, ended up friends with the greats like dickie and shep. Problem is that has gone. Contracts are such that the arrangements have changed. Years ago the corporate hospitality was in scout tents but now they demand better. This again makes things less viable.

As far as Arundel is concerned again I used to be involved in the scoring there for the duchess of Norfolk s xi this was before the oh so unsightly sight screens were allowed, which had stopped the county from playing 1st class cricket there. But what a great place to watch cricket hopefully for years to come.

Hastings was a great shame the saffrons however, what a dump?

 

[The Birdman]

If they build the new Town lets hope they build a new county ground big enough so we could host international cricket, I love Hove but we need a bigger a ground if we want to stay at the top of the English cricket .