Henry Crocombe Signs New Contract Extension 

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce that Henry Crocombe has committed his future to the Club with a contract extension.

The 23-year-old fast bowler will remain with his home County until at least the end of the 2026 season.

Another product of the Sussex Cricket Pathway, Crocombe made his debut at the age of just 19 in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy. Since then, he has gone on to make 36 first-class appearances, claiming 69 wickets.

In 2024, Crocombe played a pivotal role in Sussex's promotion campaign, helping the team secure promotion back to Division One of the County Championship. 

His performance in September, where he claimed 4-22 runs in just 6.1 overs against Gloucestershire, was instrumental in sealing Sussex's return to the top flight in thrilling fashion in Bristol.

Those performances towards the end of the season resulted in a maiden selection for the England Lions over the winter. 

 Speaking on the new deal, Crocombe, said: “I am delighted to have signed an extension at my boyhood club Sussex. I love playing here and it was amazing to play a part in winning Division Two last year. 

“I can’t wait to get going in Division One this season and show how strong our squad is and what we can do as a team!”

Sussex Men’s Head Coach, Paul Farbrace, added: “We are all delighted that Henry has extended his contract to stay at Hove for at least the next two seasons. 

“Henry has made huge strides on and off the field in the last eighteen months, and it was brilliant to see him playing a key part in the final part of the promotion season. 

“Henry has worked incredibly hard with James Kirtley to make sure he has a technique that allows him to be more consistent, whilst being able to maintain his high level of pace.

“We are all looking forward to seeing Henry start this coming season and build on the end to the 2024 season.”

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Sussex Announces EPP and Regional Academy Intake for 2025

Sussex Cricket is pleased to announce its Girls EPP (Emerging Player Programme) intake for 2025 and the Regional Academy selections.

Regional Academy

Mollie Adams

Lottie Curling

Sussex EPP

Isabelle (Issy) Beattie

Sophie Beck

Emily Groves

Eliza Harris

Olivia Hudson

Emily James

Hope Mullins

Alice Noakes

Georgie Pedley

Maya Taylor

Sussex Women’s Head Coach Alexia Walker said: "We are delighted to be able to support these players on our own EPP programme this year. 

"The players are receiving weekly cricket and strength & conditioning support as well as opportunities to train with the Regional EPP Squads at the Utilita Bowl each month. 

"Mollie and Lottie have shown huge potential over the last few years, both having made their senior debuts with Mollie winning the most improved Women’s player last season. 

"Their inclusion in the Regional Academy programme is testament to their hard work. 

"Alongside these performance programmes we are extremely pleased to be expanding our offer of additional State School only sessions for our Pathway Girls. 

"We are very passionate about increasing the provision we can offer both on a cricket and strength & conditioning front."

Sussex Cricket Foundation Releases 2024 Impact Report

The Sussex Cricket Foundation are delighted to announce the release of its 2024 Impact Report. Participation across all ages, abilities and genders continues to rise, with recreational cricket in Sussex never in a stronger place, thanks to the passionate work of the Foundation Team.

2024 was another incredible and rewarding year for the Foundation, and its annual report which can be viewed here, recognises a number of achievements along the way including:

- Record numbers attending our annual DIScoverABILITY Day

- First ever Disability Cricket Weekend, where our Visually Impaired (VI) & D40 Teams played fixtures at the 1st Central County Ground.

- VI Team winning the BCEW Cup, beating Northamptonshire in the final.

- Sussex Seniors Over 70s winning the Vase Cup Final defeating Warwickshire.

- 3000 school children & teachers attending our annual Schools Day.

- 150 club volunteers attended our annual Cricket Collective Awards.

- Continued investment in facilities in Brighton & Crawley, including the installation of a 3-lane net facility at a state secondary school in Brighton and 3 outdoor net projects, 2 non-turf pitches in Crawley.

- Relaunch of our Area Cricket Programme for ages 9-12.

- Increased engagement with the LGBTQ+ community, including our first ever event in support of Brighton Pride.

- First ever hosting of events to support religious festivals such as Iftar and Diwali.

One of the major success stories during 2024 was the installation of a new 3-lane outdoor net facility at a state secondary school in Brighton. 

Through support from the Cama Cricket Charitable Trust and contributions from the Sussex Cricket Foundation and the local community, a new facility was opened at Patcham High School. 

State School Cricket is of high importance to Sussex Cricket and this project has provided a quality facility for students to practice in, a facility for local cricket clubs to access and a facility for use by the local community to help make cricket accessible.

Another notable achievement during 2024 was the annual Sussex Cricket Foundation Schools Day, which took place during the Southern Vipers & South-East Stars T20 at the 1st Central County Ground. 3000 school children and teachers attended the fixture and helped create one of the most memorable days the Foundation has ever ran. 

Speaking on the report Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Cricket Director said: “I am extremely proud of my team and all our achievements during 2024, it was an amazing year. 

I would like to personally thank all of our partners, patrons and to those who have donated to us during the year, your support is greatly appreciated. 

"There is plenty to look forward to in 2025, as we look to build upon our successes and launch exciting new projects that will further grow the game and continue making it accessible to all.”

Ish Jalal, Chair Sussex Cricket Foundation added: “2024 has been another great year for cricket in Sussex, and this Impact Report sets out how the Sussex Cricket Foundation is providing ever-increasing opportunities for all across the county to access the game. 

"Our work simply wouldn’t happen without the dedication of Gary Wallis-Tayler, our Director of Community Cricket, and his amazing team in the Foundation”

The Foundation continue to seek support from individuals or organisations to support their work across Sussex. Anyone interested in learning more about the Foundation please visit their website https://sussexcricket.co.uk/sussex-cricket-foundation or anyone interested in sponsoring a programme, donating or volunteering are encouraged to contact Community Cricket Director, Gary Wallis-Tayler on gary.wallis-tayler@sussexcricket.co.uk 

Play Alongside Sussex Stars at the Sussex Cricket Foundation Golf Day

The Sussex Cricket Foundation is delighted to announce a charity golf day at East Brighton Golf Club on Friday 2nd May 2025.

Participants will have the opportunity to play 18 holes alongside players from the Sussex Men's team to raise money for the Sussex Cricket Foundation.

Entry for a 3ball team is just £300 and once your team is confirmed you'll have a chance to bid for your favourite Sussex player to complete your team!

The entry fee also includes breakfast and a buffet lunch.

Sponsorship opportunities are available on the day, including event sponsorship and individual hole sponsorship. For more information or to discuss sponsorship opportunities please contact foundation@sussexcricket.co.uk. 

All money raised will go to supporting the Sussex Cricket Foundation. To sign up and register your team, please click here.

To find out more about the Sussex Cricket Foundation, please visit their website.

Sussex Welcomes 90 Budding Trialists to 

The 1st Central County Ground 

On Wednesday 29th January Sussex Cricket opened its doors to 90 male trialists from far and wide, trialists hoping to impress the onlooking Paul Farbrace and his professional coaching team. 

Over 150 applicants were whittled down to 90 who were all invited to the Indoor School at The 1st Central County Ground in an attempt to secure a professional cricketing contract. 

In recent years, both Ari Karvelas and Brad Currie have been beneficiaries of the opportunity, with both going on to forge successful careers wearing the Martlets. 

Speaking to The Cricketer, Paul Farbrace said: ""There are so many elite cricketers playing in leagues and National Counties who are not getting opportunities to play first-class cricket. So, these sort of days are absolutely vital, a must.

"Our responsibility as a club is to make sure every door, every avenue is open. Football has had late developers like Ian Wright, Jamie Vardy and Stuart Pearce, and cricket can have the same."

A successful day eventually finished with 14 of the 90 being invited back by the Club for further trials. 

Sussex Cricket are also delighted to be staging open trials for female players, held at the Sir Rod Aldridge Cricket Centre at the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy on Saturday 1st March. The trial is open for any female aged 16 or over.

Applicants should send their cricketing CV  to opentrials@sussexcricket.co.uk by Friday 14th February 2025 at the latest.

Sussex Sign Overseas Seamer Gurinder Sandhu

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce the additional oversea signing of Gurinder Sandhu for June and July in 2025. 

Sandhu will be available for four games in the County Championship this summer and will also be available for the T20 Vitality Blast if required. 

The signing provides additional cover due to a change in the availability of Jaydev Unadkat in 2025, who will now be available for the final three red-ball games in September.  

The announcement of Sandhu’s signature now completes Sussex’s overseas signings for the 2025 campaign, with Seales, Unadkat, Hughes and McAndrew all returning to Hove this season. 

A previous winner of the prestigious Steve Waugh Medal, the tall fast-bowler is renowned for his ability to generate bounce and swing has featured in 55 first-class matches, taking 151 wickets at an average of 30.52 and an economy of 2.84. 

Speaking on the new addition, Paul Farbrace said: “We are delighted that Gurinder has decided to join us for the four County Championship matches in June and July, he will add real skill and experience to our bowling attack for those games. 

“He is a vastly experienced performer and is very skillful with the ball. The fact that all four games are being played with a Kookaburra ball means he will be very comfortable with that type of ball. 

Gurinder added: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining Sussex Cricket Club and can’t wait to step out onto the field at Hove. 

"I’m looking forward to contributing to the team in both the red and white ball formats and experiencing the rich cricketing traditions Sussex is known for.”

University of Brighton and Sussex Cricket Join Forces to Nurture State School Talent

Young cricketers from state schools across Sussex are being supported to develop their talents through an innovative programme run by the University of Brighton and Sussex Cricket.

Under the programme, students from the University’s School of Education, Sport and Health Sciences are giving tailored strength and conditioning training to 13-16-year-old boys at the Sussex Cricket who attend local state schools. The programme is based at the University of Brighton’s new Brighton Sport and Health Complex at its recently revamped Falmer campus, which includes state-of-the-art gym and fitness facilities.

Led by masters’ student Ross Evans, who is studying for a Strength and Conditioning MSc, the programme includes two 10-week training blocks designed to build foundational strength and trunk stability essential for preventing injuries and enabling long-term success. 

The programme comes after a recent report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) found that class remains a major barrier within the current structure and talent development channels of the sport. The report recommended immediate action to tackle the lack of inclusion and democratise access to opportunities within cricket. Of the 5,072 private and state secondary schools in England and Wales, private schools make up 28.2% and yet they represent 70.9% of the secondary schools that are connected with professional cricket teams across the country.

By offering professional-level strength and conditioning support to these young players from state schools, the project which is in its pilot phase, seeks to level the playing field among aspiring cricketers and accelerate their development for greater access and opportunity in the sport.

Ross, who is project lead for programme said: “This programme has enabled us to provide important support to these boys, which was previously not accessible to players their age in state schools. After the first few weeks, we have seen a lot of progress. The players have become more engaged in the sessions and being able to do this with young people has been a truly rewarding experience.”

Ross and the other University of Brighton students delivering the programme are mentored by Dan Howells, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, Sport and Health Sciences, who provides technical support across the programme.

Dan said: “The development of our Falmer campus provided us an opportunity to expand our ongoing partnership with Sussex Cricket. Because of this, our masters students take up placement within the club’s professional team while providing young cricketers with support they would otherwise be unable to receive until they are older and further into the cricket pathway.”

Dave McIlwaine, Sussex Cricket's Head of Performance, said: “It is great to have Ross and his fellow University of Brighton students provide an extra hour of valuable strength and conditioning training every week to help our young cricketers reach their potential. This is an incredibly significant boost to the development of the players.”

As the programme evolves, there are plans for broader community access to improve the initiative, which represents a meaningful step toward greater inclusivity and development within cricket.

Article written by Manuel Kojo Koranteng, University of Brighton 

Sussex Sharks Women's Trial Dates Confirmed 

Applications for Sussex Cricket’s Women's  trials day at Sir Rod Aldridge Cricket Centre, Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) on Saturday 1st March 2025 are now open.

Applications are now open for the Sussex Cricket Women's open trials which will take place on Saturday 1st March between 9-11am. The trial is open for any female aged 16 or over.

Applicants should send their cricketing CV  to opentrials@sussexcricket.co.uk by Friday 14th February 2025 at the latest.

Successful applicants will be invited to attend the trial and given full details of the day.

Sussex Cricket releases 2025 Pathway data

Sussex Cricket has today announced its Boys Academy and Emerging Player Programme intake for 2025, along with the supporting demographic data for the Talent Pathway.

Boys EPP and Sussex Cricket Academy Squads

Emerging Player Programme (EPP) 

George Bamford, Zac Hockley, Harrison Brayshaw, Charlie Eastman, Ollie Hughes, Ibrahim Kashif, Reuben Martin, Jamie Schoeman, Ben Vale, Rupert Anderson, Diyon de Silva, Adam Ibrahim, Archie Hall, Billy Hemmings, Oliver Hewitt, Ollie Mason, Fergus O’Connell, Jonny Prior and Ramsay Trainer

Sussex Cricket Academy

Zan Copleston, Fergus Kenyon, Aryan Kulkarni, Louie Lawrence, Ollie Moore, Toby Munt, Harry Walker, Freddie Wallis, Julian Laird, Arthur Hanson 

Boys Data

Demographics of Academy & EPP vs Sussex Population 

To benchmark the demographics data of the EPP and Academy, we have compared the numbers with the overall population data for the county of Sussex, taken from the 2021 Census. 

State School vs Independent Data 

Of the 2025 intakes in the EPP and Academy, 34.48% of those attend state schools within Sussex. 

This represents an 8.40% increase from the 2024 intake of 26.08%

Oxfordshire Cricket Partnership

Sussex Cricket is delighted to confirm that two players from the Oxfordshire Cricket partnership will continue in the Academy for the 2025 season. 

Julian Laird and Arthur Hanson will follow in the footsteps of Sussex First XI players, James Coles, Harrison Ward and Zach Lion-Cachet.

Boys County Junior Squad Data

The following statistics relate to the players selected in the Boys’ Sussex Cricket Pathway for 2024/25 from U9’s to U16’s.

State School vs Independent Data - Boys

Of the boys currently in the Sussex Cricket Pathway, a total of 250 (62%) currently attend state schools, 152 (38%) attend independent schools.

Girls Data

State School vs Independent School Data – Girls

Of the girls currently in the Sussex Cricket Pathway, a total of 82 (53%) currently attend state schools, 73 (47%) attend independent schools.

Head of Talent Pathway, Keith Greenfield commented: "It is good to see that we have very diverse groups across all our pathways, and with the improved opportunities and provision being provide across various projects another large increase in state educated players selected across all our pathways shows this work is paying off. 

"There is still plenty of work ahead to increase opportunities for all within our programmes, particularly within our girls cricket programmes."

Dean Wilson Announced as New Sponsor of Sussex Cricket League

The Sussex Cricket Foundation (SCF) are delighted to announce Brighton based solicitors, Dean Wilson LLP as the new headline sponsors of the Sussex Cricket League with immediate effect.

Dean Wilson replace former sponsor, 1st Central, with the league now being referred to as the Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League.

The 3-year agreement with the Sussex Cricket Foundation will cover the 2025, 2026 and 2027 seasons.

The Sussex Cricket League was originally formed in 2018, with 335 teams across 34 divisions and is known as the world’s largest adult cricket league. 

This saw the merging of four adult cricket leagues into a singular league structure, meeting the needs of all Sussex Cricket Foundations affiliated recreational clubs and players. 

The continued growth of recreational cricket across Sussex in recent years has seen the league grow year on year, and in 2025 it will see an impressive 370 teams compete across 39 divisions.

James Chadburn, Managing Partner at Dean Wilson, expressed his delight at the sponsorship “As a Sussex-based law firm, we are thrilled to support the Sussex Cricket League. 

"This sponsorship aligns perfectly with our geographical roots, the location of our people, and a large proportion of our client base. We are proud to support the thousands of recreational cricketers across the county. 

"At Dean Wilson, we truly 'get' cricket, with many of the firm being passionate cricketers or supporters and a few of us turning out in the league on a regular basis. Personally, I have fond memories of playing league cricket since the mid-90s so I’m delighted we’re able to make a contribution to local cricket and look forward to contributing to the continued growth and success of the league over the coming years.”

The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League will again continue to provide clubs with the opportunity to play at the home of Sussex Cricket, by hosting the League T20 Finals Day at the 1st Central County Ground on Sunday 31st August. 

The Dean Wilson Sussex Cricket League will then conclude with its annual end of season dinner on Friday 24th October at The Grand Hotel, Brighton.

Gary Wallis-Tayler, Community Cricket Director at the Sussex Cricket Foundation added: “I am delighted to welcome Dean Wilson as our new league sponsor and supporters of the Foundation. 

The league continues to grow and develop, providing opportunities for many people to access the game and is a model that other counties across the country are starting to follow. 

I am excited to work closely with the team at Dean Wilson over the next 3 years to continue the development of adult league cricket across Sussex.”

For more information on our new sponsors and how to access their legal services please visit https://deanwilson.co.uk/

For further information on the Sussex Cricket Foundation please visit https://sussexcricket.co.uk/sussex-cricket-foundation or contact foundation@sussexcricket.co.uk