Chris Adams & Ian Thomson open museum for 2018 season

Two Sussex greats were on hand to officially open the Sussex Cricket Museum for the 2018 season on Sunday.

Chris Adams and Ian Thomson cut the ribbon during the lunch break on day three of Sussex CCC’s Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire at The 1st Central County Ground.

Jon Filby, the Chair of the Sussex Cricket Museum said: “The 2018 Museum opening on Sunday was a lovely occasion. The museum was packed to hear these two all-time greats of Sussex Cricket speak with great passion about their love of Sussex Cricket and of Hove in particular.

“We very much look forward to welcoming plenty of visitors to the museum where they will find not only our historic collection, beautifully displayed by our volunteers, but also some interesting new interactive exhibits featuring Jofra Archer, George Garton and Delray Rawlins”.

Adams and Thomson are the subjects of two new booklets published by the museum to accompany the start of a new season.

‘The Indefatigable Thomson’ is a short biography of Ian by Nicholas Sharp and Norman Epps that details the career of the last (and only the second) man to take all ten wickets in an innings for Sussex.

The booklet’s publication is timed to coincide with the unveiling in the museum of the ball with which Thomson achieved this feat against Warwickshire at Worthing in June 1964.

Ian Thomson with his '10-wicket ball' that is now housed in the Sussex Cricket Museum

‘Revolution 97’ by Chris Stonor recounts the events surrounding the 19th March 1997, when the Members of Sussex County Cricket Club ousted the Committee at the AGM.

Following the changing of the guard, Adams was installed as captain in 1998 and would go on to lead the club through the most successful period of its history.

Both publications are limited to 150 copies each and are available to buy from the Club Shop at The 1st Central County Ground or by e-mailing Nicholas Sharp (sharp554@btinternet.com). All proceeds from sales of the booklets go to the Sussex Cricket Museum and Educational Trust.

The Sussex Cricket Museum – with its collection of artefacts from across the club’s history, as well as an interactive exhibit giving an insight to the club as it is today – is open to the public during intervals at Specsavers County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup matches the Australia tour match on Thursday 7th June, the Royal London Women’s One-Day International on Tuesday 12th June and Kia Super League Finals Day on Monday 27th August.

Group visits are also available at other times by appointment. For more information please contact Jon Filby (jon.filby@sussexcricket.co.uk).