Remembering Tony Pigott | 1958-2026

Sussex Cricket is profoundly saddened to announce the death, on Sunday 1 February, of Tony Pigott at the age of the 67, in Tunbridge Wells following a heart attack.

Anthony Charles Shackleton “Lester” Pigott was a distant relative of the Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. He was born in Fulham in 1958 and went to Harrow School before joining the staff at Sussex County Cricket Club in 1977. The following year he made his debut against Surrey when he took his first three first class wickets in a hat trick. A unique achievement and one that befitted his remarkable character. He was an ebullient cricketer, bowled quickly and hit the ball hard as a lower order batsman and always gave of his very best for the team in pursuit of victory. In 1984 he made his single Test match appearance for England against New Zealand in Christchurch, again typically, postponing his wedding in order to play for his country. Tony left Sussex to join Surrey in 1994, seeking a fresh challenge but he was dogged by back injuries and became second team coach in 1996, with the intention of starting a second career in coaching.

But, in the same year, he played a crucial role in the Revolution which saw the committee replaced and in 1997 he was appointed as Chief Executive of his beloved Sussex County Cricket Club, a role in which he made a huge impact. He was energetic, ambitious and optimistic and these qualities led not only to Hove becoming the first cricket ground in the UK to install floodlights but more importantly to creating the culture that led to the Golden Age of Sussex Cricket and the first County Championship win in 2003. 

Chris Adams, on hearing of Tony’s death, said ‘Tony was one of, if not, the biggest positive transformative influences in the history of the club. An incredibly sad day for his family, the Sussex family and indeed the broader family of cricket. Personally, Tony played an enormous part in moulding my life for the better and was the number one reason I signed for Sussex in 1998. A really loveable, glass half full character who will be missed dearly by many. Thank you ‘Lester’ for everything you did for Sussex CCC, the 2003 Championship in my eyes will always be dedicated to you and the brave few who stood up and were counted in 1997.”

After leaving his role as CEO in 1999 Tony went on to a variety of roles in cricket and was a frequent visitor to Hove both as a Pitch Inspector and a Match Referee. Despite being dogged by ill health, Tony retained his enthusiastic approach to life and in November 2025 published his memoirs “Lester and the Deckchair Revolution” which have been much enjoyed by all who read them. Indeed, he was due to visit the ground at Hove on Saturday 7 February to talk to the members of the Cricket Memorabilia Society and a number of events to promote his book were being arranged for the start of the season. He will be sorely missed by all of us at Sussex Cricket and by all his friends in the game. As Ian Gould said this morning, “It's terribly sad. Lester was one of the world’s great characters”.