Sussex Cricket League Celebrates Outstanding Season at Annual Awards Dinner

Sussex Cricket League Celebrates Outstanding Season at Annual Awards Dinner

Friday 24 October - The Sussex Cricket Foundation hosted its annual Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League Awards Dinner at the iconic Grand Hotel Brighton, bringing together players, coaches, and volunteers from across the county to celebrate another remarkable recreational cricket season. The evening was a fitting celebration of another fantastic year of cricket in Sussex - honouring the dedication, talent, and community spirit that makes the local game thrive.

This year’s event was proudly supported by the league’s new sponsors, Dean Wilson, and featured special guest speaker Jonathan Agnew, the legendary cricket commentator and former England bowler. For the first time, winning teams from the Aldridge@BACA Sussex Women’s Cricket League joined the celebration, reflecting the continued growth and inclusivity of cricket across Sussex.

With an incredible 420 guests representing more than 50 clubs, this year’s dinner was the largest to date. Awards were presented throughout the evening, recognising both team and individual achievements, before guests were treated to entertaining stories and insights from Jonathan Agnew’s illustrious career on and off the pitch.

Horsham Cricket Club enjoyed a double celebration, lifting the Premier League title, while their Women’s team also took home the Women’s Premier League trophy - a testament to the club’s strength across both the men’s and women’s games.

The Young Player of the Year award went to Toby Barton (Middleton CC), who played a crucial role in his club’s success, scoring an exceptional 1,038 runs across the Sussex Premier Division, T20 Cup, and ECB National Cup.

Three Bridges CC claimed Ground of the Year, while Brighton and Hove CC were named Most Improved Ground of the Year.

The highlight of the season was the annual T20 Finals Day which was held at The 1st Central County Ground, where Three Bridges CC 1st XI won the Daniel Oliver Cup, and their 2nd XI secured the Paul Baker Trophy. Sidley CC triumphed in the Plate competition. With the cup final played under lights, it proved to be a memorable day for players and supporters alike.

Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Cricket Director said, "It was great to see representatives from our men's and women’s teams come together to celebrate what has been another wonderful summer of cricket in Sussex. The recreational game continues to thrive and events like this show how strong and vibrant cricket is across the County. I would like to congratulate Horsham CC on their 'double' as well as all the other league and individual award winners"

Gary Stanley, Chair of the Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League added, "What a great night! To see so many people coming together to celebrate the year really does reflect what a special thing we have built. I am so proud and privileged to be leading a league that provides the right cricket at all levels, to players of any age, ability and background".

An album of photos from the evening can be found here.