Day 27: My Sussex XI

 

Today I gave my boss an old book about the history of Sussex. CCC. It did get me thinking about the players I have seen over the years, and for today's article, I started to think about what would my best Sussex XI over the years I have been watching? I might do a few of these with a few different counties or a Sussex XI without any of the County Championship winning teams, or a before my time XI.

1.  Bill Athey – When you think of Athey's career, it isn't the final years of it. I became a firm fan of the club the year he joined, and he always seemed a reassuring appearance at the top of the order as Sussex entered a period of transition.

2.   Robert Montgomerie – Montgomerie is my type of cricketer, reliable, far from flashy but gets the job done. There were fantastic players at Sussex at the same time as him, but he got things done. As a short-leg fielder, he combined with Mushtaq Amend to pick up buckets full of wickets. I was also lucky enough to see half of his first-class wickets; a certain Kevin Pietersen at Trent Bridge.

 

3.  Murray Goodwin – I will never forget the innings he played to win the Pro-40 league at Trent Bridge. Sussex had no hope, and the title looked to be as good as Nottinghamshire's, he never panicked and a six from the final ball of the season sealed the trophy.

 

4.  Chris Adams – I admire Adams as a great captain and an all-round hero. He had a very good team at his disposal, but they never seemed to get the credit even though they won everything in sight. The same group might have won everything without him but not in the same style.

 

5.   Michael Yardy – If there is any player who deserves a lot of credit over the glory days, Yardy is up there. A formidable batsman who dug in and scored big runs. The first player I ever saw scoop the ball over the keeper for four.

 

6.   Matthew Prior – A fine batsman who won everything with Sussex and then had an excellent career with England. A player that worked hard on his keeping, to become a very good gloveman. In an era when players who might have been better technically behind the stumps the way he batted ensured he was one of the first players on the teamsheet.

 

7.  Peter Moores – I may have left someone out here, but I don't care. When a lot of players left Sussex around 1997 Moores was still there. He captained an inexperienced side and when Adams joined they worked together to win Sussex their first County Championship.

8.  Mushtaq Ahamed – seen as a gamble when he signed for Sussex he proved a perfect fit. He took wickets for fun and seemed a player his teammates were in awe of. Had Sussex signed him earlier and had injuries towards the end of his career, you wonder just how much more Sussex might have won.

 

9.   Ollie Robinson – In some ways, Robinson embodies what Sussex have done since I can remember. A player that had lost his way elsewhere Sussex seemed the last opportunity for Robinson. Not rapidly quick like Jofra Archer (who somehow doesn't make the cut) but a bowler who forces players into making the mistakes. The rotation of England players over the next year might allow Robinson to make his Test debut.

10.James Kirtley – The Lord's final of the C&G Trophy in 2006 will take some beating. Sussex looked to have succumbed to nerves, but Kirtley held his. I remember as a junior member Kirtley running activities at and England under-19 international match at Hove. I followed his career ever since. I was there for his Test debut at Trent Bridge and many of the big days of his career.

11. Jason Lewry – I went for Lewry instead of Archer, and many Sussex fans and former players will agree. As part of the opening partnership with Kirtley, Lewry was one of those players that always picked up wickets. It is also good to have the variation of a left-arm bowler in the team.