SCF to play in Alan Lee Memorial Match

Lord March’s Racing XI to play Sussex Cricket Foundation in Alan Lee Memorial Match at Qatar Goodwood Festival

• The Alan Lee Memorial cricket match to take place on Tuesday 29 July after racing at Qatar Goodwood Festival, presented by Visit Qatar.
• Lord March's Racing XI will play Sussex Cricket Foundation’s Select XI in Twenty20 charity game.
• Funds raised will go to Sussex Cricket Foundation to support its programmes, making cricket more accessible to the local community.

Goodwood is delighted to announce that this year’s charity cricket match, which takes place during Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar, will be between Lord March's Racing XI and Sussex Cricket Foundation.

The Alan Lee Memorial Trophy will be played at Goodwood Cricket Club on Tuesday 29 July from 5.30pm, in aid of Sussex Cricket Foundation. The Foundation works to help increase awareness and grow the game from grassroots level, making it accessible to all and supporting diversity while raising funds for its local programmes.

Lord March's Racing XI will comprise of a number of horseracing personalities. Meanwhile, Sussex Select XI will feature members of the Sussex Women's Team, Sussex Disability Cricket Team, ex-professionals and local club cricketers.

The match is played every year in front of Goodwood House in memory of racing and cricket journalist Alan Lee, who passed away in 2015.

Cricket is the oldest of the sports played at Goodwood and has been supported by all the Dukes of Richmond. It has been associated with Goodwood since at least 1702. The earliest known written laws of cricket were drawn up for a game between the 2nd Duke of Richmond and Mr Broderick of Peper Harow in 1727.

Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Cricket Director at Sussex Cricket, said: "I am delighted that Goodwood has chosen to support the Sussex Cricket Foundation this year. It gives us the perfect opportunity to showcase the work of the Foundation, strengthen our links with the local community and showcase players from our various Sussex teams. I hope this is the start of a successful long-term partnership with Goodwood and I am extremely grateful for its support.”

James Crespi, Goodwood Racecourse Director, said: “Renowned as England’s greatest sporting estate, a love of sport is at the heart of all that we do here at Goodwood. We want to ensure that sport is accessible to all, whether that’s horseracing, golf, motorsport, or cricket. We are proud to be raising money for Sussex Cricket Foundation as they play Lord March’s Racing XI after a superb afternoon of horseracing at Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar.”

Before the charity match gets underway, Sussex Cricket Foundation will host a girls’ softball tournament between 3pm and 5.30pm. at Goodwood Cricket Club. For more information and entry details about the 6-a-side Dynamos Softball, contact lara.johnson@sussexcricket.co.uk.

Tickets

Tickets, dining, and hospitality are on sale for Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar. Visit Goodwood.com or call 01243 755055 to find out more. 

About Goodwood Cricket Club
Cricket is the oldest of the sports played at Goodwood and has been supported by all the Dukes of Richmond. It has been associated with Goodwood since at least 1702, as evidenced in a receipt for brandy. The oldest set of cricket rules still in existence were written for a match between the 2nd Duke and Mr Brodrick of Peper Harow, near Godalming. They are today kept with the Goodwood collection in the West Sussex Record Office in Chichester. A replica is on display in the pavilion at Goodwood.

The Goodwood Cricket colours (red and yellow) originate from the Duke’s Racing Colours. Sometime after their use on the Estate the MCC also used the same colours. The 4th Duke had been a backer of Thomas Lord and was a prime mover in the foundation of the MCC. James Lillywhite Jnr, England’s first ever Test captain, was born and played his cricket at Goodwood, whilst Hilda, the 8th Duchess played for the White Heather Ladies Cricket Club, the first ever women’s cricket club. Today the cricket ground is used by The Staff XI, Goodwood CC and Chichester PPCC.

About the Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar
The Qatar Goodwood Festival presented by Visit Qatar is one of the undisputed highlights of the British flat racing season. Affectionately known as ‘Glorious Goodwood,’ the world-famous five-day festival is a sporting and social occasion like no other, unrivalled style, superb racing, and hospitality experiences to savour mean it’s not to be missed. The 2025 event takes place from Tuesday 29 July to Saturday 2 August. The week is headed by three Group 1 races, including the £500,000 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, the £1 million Qatar Sussex Stakes, and the £600,000 Visit Qatar Nassau Stakes.

About Sussex Cricket Foundation
As Sussex Cricket’s charitable arm, the foundation’s aim is to actively change lives through cricket across the community. Using the game and the Sussex Cricket brand to deliver accessible and enjoyable opportunities that grow the sport, tackle inequalities, improve health and wellbeing and enable people to fulfil their potential.

Through activities, SCF looks to make cricket accessible to all, no matter what type of cricket experience you are looking for. Cricket relies on the contribution and support of volunteers, who keep clubs running, officiate at matches, coach and develop players of all ages and prepare and keep the grounds we play on. SCF offer’s support and training to help these volunteers continue to develop the clubs they love.

Sussex Cricket Foundation’s 2024 Impact Report: sussexcricket.co.uk/sussex-cricket-foundation/impact-report-2024