Horsham cricket chiefs disappointed Sussex won’t visit in 2023

Sussex won’t visit Horsham, Arundel nor Eastbourne for county first XI games in 2023 – instead hosting all their games at Hove.

Horsham CC Ground Manager Chris (Shaka) Shambrook told County Times: “We understand the constraints of the 4 day County Championship fixture list, but are naturally disappointed.

"The club enjoys a good relationship with the county and we look forward to hosting Sussex 2nd XI and county age group cricket again next season. And, as ever, we remain open to stage a one day game, welcoming 4,000 spectators for which would be great for the club.”

Starting in the Edwardian era, county cricket at Horsham went on for over 100 years, with good crowds eager to see the top players of the day, from Jack Hobbs through to more recent times, when Viv Richards visited with Somerset.

The curtain was brought down on Sussex’s appearances after 2015, when England’s James Taylor broke the ground record for a first class score, with 291, surpassing Ian Bell’s 264 a few years before.

Sadly, that year, the lucrative one day game against Lancashire was rained off, without a ball bowled.

Previous centuries for Michael Atherton, Graham Thorpe, Alec Stewart and Kevin Pietersen – and, in 2013, Steve Magoffin taking 8-20 when, in unusually bowler-friendly conditions, Sussex bowled out Somerset before lunch – underline that cricket at Horsham has invariably been entertaining.

First class umpires described the wicket as “of Test standard”, and, with 12,000 attending over the 5 days of a Championship and one day Festival, the biggest sporting spectacle for miles around, it can only be good for the town. Horsham has for many years provided a conveyor belt of cricketers for Sussex, for whom it fulfils a top ambition to play for the county at their home club.

The England & Wales Cricket Board rolls out laudable initiatives to encourage youthful participation, but there is no better way to spark and maintain an interest in cricket than having the chance to see the big players of the day at close quarters on local soil.

County HQs have been improved and it makes sense not to neglect those facilities, but county players have said they love playing at Horsham, the club having an excellent track record for presenting red letter events.

Bringing county cricket to outgrounds is challenging, but Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Surrey and Yorkshire will still be doing so in 2023, all recognising the value of spreading the game to the benefit of welcoming communities.

So, it is hoped that some way can be found for Sussex to bring back their cricket to Horsham, which was promised to celebrate the club’s 250th anniversary, but torpedoed by Covid.