A Night to Remember: Sussex Cricket Celebrates at End of Season Awards

The Sussex Cricket family came together in style for this year’s End of Season Awards Night, an evening filled with smiles, stories, and standing ovations, hosted by Adrian Harms. 

It was a chance to look back on the highs of 2025, to recognise the incredible efforts of players, staff, and supporters, and to celebrate the spirit of cricket in our county.

From unforgettable moments on the pitch to the tireless dedication behind the scenes, every award told its own story of passion and pride.

Most Improved Players of the Year – Sponsored by The Aldridge Foundation 

There was loud applause for those who made huge strides in their game this season:

• Disability Cricket: Jake Vosloo
• Women’s Team: Phoebe Wilkinson
• Men’s Team: Danial Ibrahim

Staff Awards

• Outstanding Contribution: Chris Holmes
• Sparkling Moment of the Year: Russell Bennett
• Frank Stonehouse Trophy: Ray Holdway

A special thank you to all our staff, who make every day at Sussex Cricket possible.

Community Awards 

Cricket is nothing without its people, and this year’s awards reminded us just how strong our community is:

• Sussex Supporter of the Year: Ian Cuthbert
  • Other nominees for Supporter of the Year were as follows: Colin Bowman, Gary Bryant, Randy Baldwin, Brenda, Roger Packham, David Jarvis, Jon Filby, Chris Bourn, Christine Cheeseman, Gill Tee, Jack Davies, Jackie Bull, Joe and Maureen Barnett
• Sussex Cricket Foundation Community Participant of the Year: Max Wildman 

Sparkling Moments of the Year – Sponsored by Roebuck Estates

These are the memories that lit up the season and had Sussex fans talking:

• Disability Cricket: Marcus Kipling and Alex Towers - Sussex Sharks VI batters winning the cup at Hove
• Women’s Team: Mollie Adams – for her century in the ODC
• Men’s Team: Sean Hunt – for his winning boundary vs Lancs in the ODC

Players of the Season – Sponsored by DentalBuild

And then, of course, came the big ones – the players who stood out and led the way in 2025:

• Disability Cricket: Phil Daniels
• Women’s T20 Player: Rachel King
• Women’s 50-Over Player: Mollie Adams
• Men’s Red-Ball Player: James Coles
• Men’s White-Ball Player: James Coles

The Chair’s Award

The evening ended on a fitting note with the prestigious Sussex Cricket Chair’s Award, which went to Keith Greenfield in recognition of his outstanding service and unwavering dedication to developing talent from the Pathway to the Sussex first team. 

Thank You to Our Sponsors

A special thank you goes to our valued partners – DentalBuild, The Aldridge Foundation, and Roebuck Estates – whose support makes nights like this possible. Their commitment helps us to grow the game, support our teams, and strengthen cricket across Sussex.

Tom Haines Selected for England Lions

The ECB have today announced that Sussex batter Tom Haines has been selected for the England Lions squad that will tour Australia this winter. 

It's been another standout season for the opening bat, who reached 1075 first-class runs this season, making three centuries and five half-centuries at an average of 41.34. 

A well-earned call-up once again. Congratulations, Tom! #GOSBTS

Full ECB Release:

England Lions confirm squad for Australia tour

An 18-player England Lions squad has been named for this winter’s tour of Australia.

The squad will assemble in Australia in early November ahead of matches in Perth, Canberra and Brisbane.
  
England Lions squad (18 players):
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Sonny Baker (Hampshire)
Jordan Cox (Essex)
Matthew Fisher (Surrey)
Emilio Gay (Durham)
Nathan Gilchrist (Warwickshire)
Tom Hartley (Lancashire)
Tom Haines (Sussex)
Josh Hull (Leicestershire)
Eddie Jack (Hampshire)
Ben Kellaway (Glamorgan)
Tom Lawes (Surrey)
Ben McKinney (Durham)
Matthew Revis (Yorkshire)
James Rew (Somerset)
Thomas Rew (Somerset)
Mitchell Stanley (Lancashire)
Asa Tribe (Glamorgan)
  
The squad includes four Test-capped players in Rehan Ahmed, Matthew Fisher, Tom Hartley and Josh Hull while Sonny Baker and Jordan Cox have both also been capped by England in limited-overs internationals.

England Men Under-19s captain Thomas Rew is one of four players who are called up to the Lions for the first time alongside Matthew Revis and Glamorgan duo Ben Kellaway and Asa Tribe.

England Lions Head Coach, Andrew Flintoff, said: “There are some unbelievably talented players in this squad, and this is a fantastic opportunity for them to go to Australia, excel in the conditions, and thrive against quality players. At the same time, these players will get a sense of what an away Ashes series is all about.

“Our coaching staff is looking forward to working with them to embrace that opportunity and help to build the experiences and skills that will benefit their careers.”

The England Lions will stage development camps in October at the ECB Performance Centre (Loughborough University) before touring Australia.

After arriving in Perth, the Lions will play England Men in a three-day warm-up at Lilac Hill from 13 November and ahead of the first men’s Ashes Test at Optus Stadium.

The Lions will play a four-day match against a Cricket Australia XI at Lilac Hill before an England XI takes on a Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day day-night match in Canberra.

The Lions conclude their tour with a four-day match against Australia A in Brisbane, at the same time as the second men’s Ashes Test.
 

Sussex survived a late fourth innings scare to secure a three-wicket win over Worcestershire on the third morning of their final Rothesay County Championship fixture of the season

The final four wickets of the Worcestershire innings fell inside 25 minutes of the third morning, where the hosts could only add 16 runs to their overnight total, as Ollie Robinson took his second five wicket haul of the match.

Requiring just 61 to win, Sussex made hard work of the chase, eventually knocking off the total with Worcestershire seamer Tom Taylor finishing with 4-22 on his way to ending the season with 58 Division One wickets. 

With the fate of both sides already sealed, the visitors’ final flourish saw them secure a mid-table finish, whilst the Pear’s resilient efforts went unrewarded with relegation already confirmed. 

Ben Gibbon was the first wicket to fall on a troubling morning for Worcestershire, when he was pinned LBW after offering no shot to an Ollie Robinson delivery that nipped back and clipped the pad of the nightwatchman, bring an end to his stubborn knock of 13.  

Roderick was the next man to depart, when his innings of 27 was brought to a close by the impressive Jaydev Unadkat who claimed his seventh wicket of a match dominated by the Sussex seamers.  

Matthew Waite and Ben Allison were dismissed in successive balls as Robinson finished with five wickets in the innings, walking away with superb match-figures of 11-142. 

Chasing 61 to win, Sussex lost opener Tom Haines for one when an excellent, diving catch at slip by Rob Jones to open the Worcestershire account.

A seemingly routine chase was momentarily thrown into doubt however, as Sussex slipped to 28-4, losing Hughes (16) and Coles (0) in consecutive overs courtesy of Taylor and Ben Allison, before Taylor struck for the 57th time this season in Division One to have Tom Alsop caught at slip. 

With just 16 required to win, Worcestershire refused to go down without a fight, as Matthew Waite claimed a wicket with his first ball of his spell, with first innings centurion John Simpson caught by Rehaan Edavalath after mistiming a pull shot into the deep.

Taylor had time to claim his 58th wicket of the season before Waite struck for a second time with Sussex still requiring three to win, but Ollie Robinson hit the winning runs through midwicket for his side to ensure they ended the season with a win.  

John Simpson’s unbeaten 129 and six second innings Worcestershire wickets kept Sussex in command on day two of the Rothesay County Championship clash at Visit Worcestershire New Road. 

A glistening fourth century of the season from the away side’s skipper saw Sussex add 122 runs to their overnight score, before they were bowled out for 350.

With a deficit of 227, Jake Libby (72) and Rehaan Edavalath (45) added a century stand for the first wicket to throw the Pears a lifeline.

Six wickets across the second half of the day however saw Worcestershire cling onto a slender lead of 43 runs heading into the third day with just four wickets intact. 

A resplendent morning at Visit Worcestershire New Road saw the home side land the first blow of the day when Tom Taylor bowled Jack Carson in the first over of the morning. 

A 53rd wicket of a remarkable season followed soon after for Taylor as Danny Lamb feathered a nick through to Rob Jones at second slip, to check the visitors progress at 245-7.

Not-out John Simpson registered his fourth hundred of a memorable Division One campaign, reaching the milestone in 138 balls and scoring 18 boundaries in the process, shortly after Ollie Robinson had departed for a brisk 24. 

Simpson kicked on as the visitors reached 350 and strengthened their grip on the match, before Matthew Waite’s introduction into the attack saw him take two wickets in four balls as he dismissed both Karvelas (20) and Unadkat (0), with Sussex all-out for 350 possessing a healthy lead of 227. 

Simpson finished unbeaten on 129, with his 19th first-class century the standout innings of the game. 

Jake Libby surpassed 1,000 first class runs for the season in the Rothesay County Championship early into the afternoon session as the Worcestershire reply got off to a cautious start.

The shackles were freed by Libby however, as he moved through the gears with some dismissive pull shots through midwicket as Sussex’s opening bowlers grafted to no avail in the sunshine.

Libby pressed on in fine style, reaching a third Division One half-century of the season in just 63 deliveries, as he and Edavalath added 113 for the first wicket on a pitch showing signs of flattening. 

Edavalath made 45 and Libby a superb 72, before the pair were dismissed inside four overs of one another, with Edavalath first LBW off a straightening Unadkat delivery and Libby following soon after having edged a ball behind to Coles at slip to give the Indian seam bowler his second of the innings. 

Ollie Robinson collected his first wicket of the innings when he hurried Isaac Mohammed with a short ball to dismiss the teenager for four. 

First-innings top scorer Dan Lategan and number five Rob Jones came together midway through the afternoon to add 63 for the fourth wicket with the hosts working hard to find a foothold in the game. 

Despite making it to the tea interval unscathed, Tom Haines ended the partnership in the 46th over of Worcestershire’s reply, as he pinned Lategan LBW for 30, with the hosts still 40 runs in arrears. 

Rob Jones produced a gritty knock of 46, with Worcestershire heading towards the close at parity, but his wicket and the dismissal of Ethan Brookes (29) handed Sussex back the initiative late on. 

Memberships Open for Renewals on Monday 

We’re delighted to announce that membership renewals for the 2026 season will open on Monday 29th September at midday.

Prices Frozen for 2026

We’re committed to keeping membership accessible, which is why all membership prices have been frozen for 2026. There will be no increase in cost this year, so renewing members can enjoy the same great value as last season.

Renewal Information

Renewals are open exclusively to existing members from midday on Monday 29th September. On the morning of the 29th, we’ll send an email to all current members with full instructions and further information about how to renew.

This information will also be available on the Sussex website at the same time. 

New Under 25s Membership

We’re also excited to announce the launch of a brand-new membership category for younger supporters. From this season, anyone under the age of 25 can join for just £125—half the price of a Sussex Membership.

General Sale & Early Bird Offer

Memberships will go on general sale from Tuesday 29th October. New fans purchasing their membership between 29th October and 19th November will be able to take advantage of our early bird price.

Sussex Cricket Foundation Launches First-Ever Sussex Cricket Coaching Badge

The Sussex Cricket Foundation recently celebrated the presentation of the first-ever Sussex Cricket Coaching Badges – a landmark moment for Coach Development in the county.

This programme, designed and led by Paul Farbrace (Sussex CCC Head Coach) and Chris Fox from the Sussex Cricket Foundation’s Coach Development team, brought together 12 established and experienced coaches, all qualified to Level 2 or Core Coach standard. The aim was to enhance their technical insight, coaching skills, and knowledge, supporting their continued development and raising the overall quality of cricket coaching across Sussex.

The course was delivered through a series of specialist modules created by Paul and his team, with valuable contributions from Ash Wright, Grant Flower, Luke Dunning, James Kirtley, John Simpson, Dave McElwaine and Paul himself.

Feedback from the coaches that took part has been overridingly positive, one coach spoke about their experience of the course; “Thank you for your efforts in getting this course off the ground and then delivered. The quality of the sessions has been incredible, so much knowledge shared from those at the top end of the game. It’s been a privilege to be part of the first group, hopefully of many more, who will get that experience.”

We are proud to recognise the inaugural Sussex Cricket Coaching Badge recipients, listed here in alphabetical order:

• Dom Ashton
• Dave Beare
• Brian de Gruchy
• Jamie Hall
• Jamie Hamilton
• Alex King
• Ishwar Narayanan
• Jordan Shaw
• Bethany Tagg
• Paul Walker
• Matt Whippey

This initiative represents an important step in strengthening the coaching pathway within Sussex, ensuring the next generation of players benefit from high-quality, well-supported coaching.

If you would be interested in taking part in the second edition of the course over the winter, please complete the Expression of Interest form here. 

Please note that completing this form is not confirmation of a place on the course, full details are displayed at the top of the form.

Sussex Cricket Wraps Up 2025 Season with Awards Celebration

Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce that its annual End of Season Awards Night will take place on Sunday 28th September 2025 at the prestigious Grand Hotel, Brighton.

The evening will celebrate the achievements of Sussex’s Men’s, Women’s, Disability and Senior cricket teams, as well as recognise the dedication and contributions of the club’s staff.

In an exciting addition for 2025, Sussex Cricket Members and Supporters were also invited to join the event for the very first time, providing an opportunity for supporters to celebrate alongside players, coaches, and staff at the heart of the Sussex Cricket family.

Guests will enjoy an evening of reflection, entertainment and recognition, with awards presented across multiple categories to honour outstanding performances, team spirit, and commitment throughout the season.

The following awards will be presented throughout the course of the night:

• Player of the Year, sponsored by DentalBuild
• Sparkling Moment of the Year, sponsored by Roebuck Estate
• Most Improved Player of the Year, sponsored by the Aldridge Foundation
• Sussex Supporter of the Year
• Sussex Cricket Foundation Community Participant of the Year
• Sussex Cricket Staff Outstanding Contribution of the Year
• Sussex Cricket Staff Sparkling Moment of the Year
• The Frank Stonehouse Trophy

In addition to several awards determined by the Sussex Support Staff, many were decided by Sussex Members and Supporters. 

The winners of all awards will be officially announced following the conclusion of the ceremony, during the week commencing 29th September. 

Sussex Cricket would like to extend its sincere gratitude to our valued partners: DentalBuild, Roebuck Estates, and the Aldridge Foundation for their continued support.

Professional Cricket Counties Reject Proposed 

County Championship Reform

The ECB have today confirmed that the Professional County Cricket Clubs have rejected a proposal for a 13-match Rothesay County Championship.

Speaking on the announcement, Sussex Chair, Jon Filby said:

“Whilst we are disappointed at the outcome of the review, Sussex Cricket will continue to campaign for a change in the Men’s domestic schedule. 

"The majority of counties and the majority of players think that the current schedule can be improved. 

"We have made it clear that we would support a new structure in which the top division of 12 teams is split into two conferences, with the bottom division made up of 6 teams. 

"We believe this gives us the opportunity to make it the best red-ball competition in world cricket.”

FULL ECB PRESS RELEASE:

Rothesay County Championship format to be retained following PCCs vote

The Professional County Cricket Clubs (PCCs) have voted on the future format of the Rothesay County Championship.
A proposal to play a remodelled 13-match Rothesay County Championship did not receive the required majority of votes from the PCCs to affect change.

The decision follows a county-led review into the structure of the men’s county competitions.

The review, which was staged in consultation with the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), made proposals for changes to the Rothesay County Championship, Vitality Blast men’s competition and Metro Bank One-Day Cup men’s competition.

The PCCs agreed, via a vote in July, to alter the format of the Vitality Blast men’s competition when the review’s proposals did receive the required majority for change.

From next season the Vitality Blast men’s competition will be staged over 12 group-stage matches with counties moving into three groups of six.

The competition will also be played in a block before The Hundred, to enable a better competition narrative, with the 2026 Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day confirmed for Saturday 18 July at Edgbaston.

A second vote was held this week regarding the county-led review’s proposal to play a 13-match Rothesay County Championship – featuring a 12-county ‘Championship’ and six-county ‘Championship Two’ – which included increasing the men’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup to 10 group-stage matches.

The result of the vote means that the Rothesay County Championship will remain at 14 matches, with Division One consisting of 10 counties and Division Two consisting of eight counties.

The same promotion and relegation mechanic also applies with the bottom two counties in Division One relegated and the top two in Division Two promoted.

The Metro Bank One-Day Cup men’s competition also retains the same format with each county playing eight group-stage matches in two groups of nine.

The outcome of the vote was shared with the PCCs yesterday evening to ensure that all players, support staff and supporters were aware prior to the start of the final round of matches in the Rothesay County Championship.

Worcestershire vs Sussex: Match Preview 

And just like that, we reach the final Rothesay County Championship match of the season: a trip to one of the circuit’s most picturesque venues, New Road in Worcestershire. Our hosts are already resigned to Division Two cricket next year, while Sussex need only a handful of points to guarantee that top-flight cricket returns to Hove in 2026.

Last week’s draw with Yorkshire all but secured Sussex’s safety, but the path to this point has been anything but straightforward. Three wins in the opening block of Championship fixtures had Paul Farbrace’s side sitting comfortably in the top three by the end of May. Since then, however, victories have proved far harder to come by.

Having said all of that, it's been another season for followers of Good Old Sussex by the Sea to be proud of and they'll be looking to finish on a high and secure those much-needed 5 points as quickly as possible. 

The Opposition 

Despite a hard-fought, high-scoring draw against Durham last week, Worcestershire’s fate was sealed by results elsewhere. With just a single win all season, they are now destined for Division Two cricket in 2026 — a scenario all too familiar to Sussex supporters.

When the two sides met back in May, it was Sussex who edged a thrilling contest by 47 runs, a match that swung back and forth in the finest traditions of County Championship cricket.

This time, Sussex will be aiming for a more straightforward victory. The Pears, however, will be determined to restore pride in front of their home crowd in what will be their final outing of the season.

Timings

The first ball will be bowled at 1030am tomorrow morning. 

How to Watch

As always, you can watch every ball, free of charge, via our Match Day Centre. You will need to register for a free account to access the stream, statistics, replays and live scorecard. You can find information on how to register here.

Sun Sets on Splendid Sharks VI Season

Fresh from their League and Cup double the Sussex Sharks VI travelled to Wolverhampton to try and secure the elusive treble and win the BCEW David Townley Memorial T20 Cup.

It was a repeat of the Cup Final as the Sharks faced London Metro but this time Metro won the toss and asked the Sharks to have a bat. The Sharks started very brightly and an opening stand of 95 was broken when Dave Daniels (40) was clean bowled. Mark Bond (28) departed soon after and the Sharks were looking on for a big total when the rain closed-in, in the 17th over with the score on 145-2.

When the rain stopped falling Metro were set a revised target of 102 from 12 overs. After 2.3 overs with the score on 18, the rain came in again and the players left the field. With just the minimum 5 overs, Metro were set 52 to win - meaning a challenging 33 off 15 balls was required, when only 3 boundaries had been scored all day. However the rain never stopped and the match had to be abandoned.

It was a sad end to an excellent Sharks season, going the whole season unbeaten was a significant achievement and the highlight was undoubtedly the last ball win at The 1st Central County Ground. With the rain falling, the end of season awards were presented with the Sharks taking Partially Sighted Bowler, Phil Daniels and Totally Blind Bowler, Dave Daniels to keep it a family affair.

The Sussex Sharks VI would like to thank everyone involved with Disability Cricket at Sussex, particularly Webtrends Optimize for their generous sponsorship and Tom Belcher and his team. 

It will be 2026 before the Sharks get the chance to complete the treble, so it is duly noted there are only 32 weeks before the season starts again!

Report written by Ian 'Tiny' Morris - Sussex Sharks VI player