Proudly floats the Sussex banner
Surely brighter days must dawn
Surrey v Sussex at Kennington Oval 1896
Albert Craig the Rhymester
(Sussex won by 43 runs !!)
Hi everyone!
With Season 2022 starting in barely a month’s time, thoughts turn inevitably to watching from the Deckchairs up at the Cromwell Road end.
Of course, the iconic deckchairs are an integral part of watching at Hove Actually.
But those of you who – like me - are lucky enough to regularly watch the Mighty Sussex will know that there are other key aspects to a Day Out at the Cricket.
A chance to walk round the ground
at lunchtime, to watch softball cricket on the outfield.
Remembering when you yourself first played, 60 Seasons & more ago.
And down at the Sea End as you “turn for home” up the hill, it’s always good to say hello to Jon Filby at the Bookstall, glancing at biographies of Legends from long ago.
Before the bell rings for the afternoon session to begin, there is always time to call in to the award winning the Sussex Cricket Museum.
A few days ago, the latest booklet
from the Museum dropped though the letter box.
The photo on the front cover is of Harry Phillips’ kit.
Harry is bottom left in the photo.
Harry kept wicket Sussex between 1868 and 1891.
What may I tell you about Harry?
216 matches, with 2,998 runs at an average of 10, with 339
catches and 184 catches.
Just the one century: 111 v Australia at Hove in 1884.
Harry was born and lived his whole
life in Hastings.
Born in Hastings, eh.
Like those other Sussex Legends: Alan ‘Oaky’ Oakman, Mike
Yardy & Harry Finch.
[Editor: when you next watch with Lord Ric, do ask him where he was born …]
Harry’s obituary records that “Phillips was always the cheeriest of cricketers. No day was long enough to damp his good spirits”.
A good epitaph for all who play for and follow Sussex.
Written by Nicholas Sharp, who is one of the initial Trustees and remains one of the head honchoes at the Museum, the booklet describes how the Museum was established by way of a charitable Trust granted in 2009, with the grand opening of the present Museum in July 2011.
It was well-deserved news that in September 2021 the Museum was announced as the first winner of Howard Milton Award for Cricket Scholarship.
The booklet is published in loving
memory of Brenda Sharp who died on 7 June 2020.
Mrs Sharp should be very proud of her husband’s work for the Museum and in writing the booklet.
One of the Museum’s initiatives has been its publications; the Booklets.
Looking at the list of publications, the names of the Sussex Legends in the titles are redolent of Days in the Sun:
Robin & Jim
Ted
Rupert
Greigy
Don
Murray
This particular booklet has some tremendous memories of players and scorecards from matches long ago.
From 1839, Sussex's first season, is Kent v Sussex at Town Malling.
Cricket has been played there for
almost 200 years.
In 1836 a new Kent County Cricket
Club was inaugurated, with the Town Malling ground as its headquarters.
In Charles Dickens’ “Pickwick Papers” it is likely that the cricket match between ‘All Muggleton and Dingley Dell’ was inspired by Town Malling matches.
In 1890 the last first class
cricket match to be played on this ground was held between Kent and Sussex.
Glancing at the scorecard, I can
hardly believe what I am seeing …
“Kent won by three wickets”
In Season 2022 Kent are only
scheduled to play Sussex at Hove the once:
Sunday 29th May in the T20 Vitality Blast.
I am not expecting a repeat of the 1839 result !!!
So, dear reader, with Season 2022 not too far off …do get out your diary & have a look at the Fixtures.
I really hope that
you’ll come along and watch cricket with me.
After all ….
Why read a
Lord Ric Cricket Blog, when you can star in your own.
See you soon!!
Lord Ric of Beckley Furnace
PS
I started this blog with the story of Harry Phillips.
I mentioned Harry’s runs, catches & stumpings.
But as Wicketkeepers are sometimes
asked to do, Harry was an occasional Bowler.
14 wickets at an average of 20.
Up in the Deckchairs we love to reminisce about Sussex Legends.
Especially about a very special Sussex Legend who also kept wicket.
We don’t need to overly dwell on this Legend's impressive career statistics:
36,673 runs, with 1,087 catches and 94 stumpings.
Not to mention 51 wickets.
Including one in Test matches.
Indeed, he was the only England Wicketkeeper in the 20th Century to take a Test Wicket:
At Kanpur in February 1964: Dilip Sardesi caught Edrich
bowled ??? for 87
But who was this Sussex Legend?
Come & watch some cricket with me down at Hove Actually … & I’ll tell you !!
There's a Deckchair with your name on it !!
