Ed Warner: Why I’m optimistic about the future for Sussex Cricket
‘What will you do about your blog?’ was one question at interview, repeated a number of times since I was announced as the chair of Sussex Cricket last week. What of my trenchant criticisms of cricket’s leadership, the sport’s confused calendar and the divide between its haves and have nots?
For now, this column and my newsletter, Sport inc, is going nowhere (no jokes please). There will certainly be a bit more cricket, with readers advised to allow for my Sussex bias. I’m likely to round off the edges of my commentary a little, but only in the interests of sharpening lobbying on behalf of my county, and others like us. Hopefully, I’ll be better informed and you’ll accept this as a counterbalance to any political softening of style.
For now, there’s a job to do. Sussex is midway through the season burdened by points deductions across all competitions having breached the England and Wales Cricket Board’s financial rules. An emergency loan from the governing body has shored up the county’s balance sheet, but that comes with strict requirements around spending and governance.
I wrote about Sussex’s troubles when news of them first broke back in February, arguing that past leaders were primarily guilty of hope in overreaching for sporting success – a very human failing. One week into my role and that overriding interpretation hasn’t altered. Lots to do, yes, but there are strong underlying foundations on which to build.
Sussex doesn’t own a franchise in The Hundred, or host men’s Test matches. We are one of the 11 have nots among the 18 first class counties. As a corporate entity we are small with £6.7m of income, 60 per cent of which comes from the ECB. Like most counties, we are owned by our members – mostly those individuals buying season tickets, but also the clubs across Sussex.
Like all the counties we do, though, have big responsibilities, nurturing cricket for a population of around 1.5m and, at the sporting sharp end, producing talent capable of breaking into England teams. We’re in the entertainment business too, with a ground to fill as often as possible. Thankfully, that ground is delightfully located, a short stroll from the prom at Hove, described to me by one leading cricket journalist as a “quintessential venue” – in a good way.
The objectives are clear: to structure a financially robust plan that is centred around Sussex’s relevance both locally and within English cricket more widely; to field competitive teams that our fans and members are excited by and proud to support; and to ensure that all of our people – players, staff, volunteers and supporters – are excited by the project and inspired by its leaders.
Although everything must be joined up, from grassroots to pro, being the best we can be in the professional game while operating within the ECB’s constraints is critical to every element of the plan.
To that end, I’m delighted that our head coach Paul Farbrace has just committed his future to Sussex, becoming director of cricket at the end of this season. Finances dictate that there will inevitably be a reshaping of the men’s playing squad – indeed it has already begun – so experienced, passionate leadership is going to be vital heading into 2027.
Meanwhile, really fantastic things are happening below the elite men’s and women’s squads – in particular, initiatives to promote cricket in state schools. Look out for the launch of our Breaking Boundaries project next week.
I’ve been struck once again this past week by cricket’s perhaps unique propensity to generate “followership”. It’s unsurprising that a sport whose matches can last days should generate a broad swathe of fans who primarily engage with it from afar, reliant on the media for their regular fix.
These followers are an often hidden asset. I’m grateful that many have outed themselves in recent days to offer Sussex help and support. We are going through what the corporate world likes to describe as a refresh of our board and committees, and we have need of people to undertake these formal roles, and abundant scope for more informal input.
It is the scale of our support – members, match-going fans and the diaspora of followers – that forms the bedrock of my optimism about Sussex Cricket’s future. More of this to come in the months and years ahead. And I promise readers not to shy away from the big cricketing issues.
Thanks – I think – to the Crystal Palace fans in Sussex and further afield who’ve messaged about me operating behind enemy lines in Brighton and Hove. There’s no way I’m sharing the AI-generated image of me in an Eagles shirt and bucket hat on the pavilion balcony that one Seagull kindly generated for me, though.
Not a good look
When is a red card not a red card? When it’s orange. Congrats to the sun-blessed Donald for providing Belgium with added motivation in their victory over the USA.
Let’s hope England don’t cite the POTUS-inspired, deferred punishment for Folarin Balogun as precedent in any appeal to overturn Jarell Quansah’s red. Would be far classier to rise above it.
Mind you, had the option existed to challenge one of Gazza’s two yellows at Italia 90…
“I didn’t know what the hell a red card was. When I found out I said: ‘You gotta be kidding’.”
Donald Trump
Living in America
On the 250th birthday of the United States of America, with The Mall’s green reflecting pool and rain-delayed grandiloquent Presidential celebrations making the news, it’s reassuring to know that some things are dependable whatever the political weather.
I’ve written about Joey Chestnut’s 4th July hotdog eating triumphs here before. Chestnut was at it again this year – 66 dogs in 10 minutes for his 18th victory. Champion of the World once more.
Watch Joey Chestnut’s X-rated eating on X here.
Ed Warner is chair of Sussex Cricket and GB Wheelchair Rugby and writes his sport column at sportinc.substack.com