[Cricket] Sussex CCC - 2023 Season Edition

[Moshe Gariani]

Yep, kit is provided. We've had to get his bats & pads etc for him, but thankfully the guys at Keeley have given us better deals because he is with the county...still not cheap though.

Just to make things clear - I'm not moaning about Sussex CCC at all. It is what it is, and just stating facts. They've been BRILLIANT with him EVERY step of the way, including with his injuries & rehab....all his healthcare is taken care of, so immediate access to MRI's when needed, and physios etc. - but when you get to this level you kinda hope that the club will take care of the other things a bit more, and we wouldn't have to keep stumping up the cash!

Good to hear this accurate account based on first-hand experience. The club try to provide as much as they possibly can for players but funds are severely limited and hard choices have to be made. No-one at the club wants to discourage participation or player development - the need for diversity and inclusion is completely understood and prioritised. Keith Greenfield has, for 25 years+, been personally active in seeking sponsorships and support for young Sussex cricketers from less well-off families. The same people asserting that pathway children, and older future potential prospects, should be better funded by the club are also the ones who want 1st team players to be better paid so that they don't leave the club once they've made it...

 

[timbha]

Yep, kit is provided. Weve had to get his bats & pads etc for him, but thankfully the guys at Keeley have given us better deals because he is with the county...still not cheap though.

Last season he went away for 4 days with the 2nds to Glamorgan, and thankfully traveled by coach with the team - but had to buy food at the hotel himself. He ended up wandering into Abergavenny most evenings to get Fish & Chips, as the food at the hotel was way too fancy for him - but it was then reimbursed later.

Last winter they did a joint tour to Cape Town with the Kent Academy, but even that cost us almost £1k on top of the subsidized package (thanks Nan!)

With Pathway / Academy games here though, we have been transporting him around the country at our own cost for years. Thankfully, he now has his own car & a small part time job, so thats one thing less for us to worry about at least. Even with a job though he finds it tough to get enough hours as he has to be at Hove for gym work & nets etc all during the week after college.

Just to make things clear - Im not moaning about Sussex CCC at all. It is what it is, and just stating facts. They've been BRILLIANT with him EVERY step of the way, including with his injuries & rehab....all his healthcare is taken care of, so immediate access to MRI's when needed, and physios etc. - but when you get to this level you kinda hope that the club will take care of the other things a bit more, and we wouldn't have to keep stumping up the cash!

It’s his final year in the Academy, so it really is a make or break year. His mate Henry Rogers signed a rookie contract recently, and the hope is that he will as well by next summer....If he doesn't, at least it'll be cheaper for us going forward, but ultimately a possible waste of money the last few years!

Let me start by wishing him well.

Sadly finances are often the limiting factor on a youngster’s career and hopefully club cricket is far more accommodating re sharing kit, travel costs, etc.

Unfortunately county and rep cricket is expensive at all levels because it involves considerable travel and hotel stays, often a few days at a time, plus the things you mention like rehab. It has to be paid for. Legacy cash and donations help, and sponsorship, but usually isn’t enough.

Like tennis, show jumping and other sports where an initial investment is required, cricket at the highest level will be dominated by the “haves”. Even the top pros that have come from poorer backgrounds seem to have had some early advantages (even if it’s mum and dad giving up their holidays, or generous grandparents)

Such a shame in what is one of our National sports

 

[Eeyore]

This is really disappointing. I presume they supply all of the playing kit (as in clothing)? so you are left paying for the equipment, plus all the travelling, etc.

Stuff is so expensive now, too - I haven't bought a new bat in almost 20 years - and that I went halves on with my late Dad - I rarely use it anyway, as our top order never let the bowlers have a go! I did look at some recently out of interest, and was genuinely astonished at the prices. I had no idea at all that club cricketers were paying £600+ for new bat, but it seems that the high-end Newbery bat I have, would cost those kind of prices to replace

Far cry from the £17 I spent on my first bat in 1982 (Probably about £80 in current prices). Not that I needed it. I've only ever scored two fifties in 41 years. I just needed a ball in hand. I think I took more wickets than scored runs some years. Your Dad, of course, wasn't one of them.

As regards gear though, now is always a good time. Massive discounts at all the suppliers. I always used to wait till winter to get kitted out. Less than half price in many cases and even bigger discounts can be found if you look.

 

[amexer]

Yep, kit is provided. Weve had to get his bats & pads etc for him, but thankfully the guys at Keeley have given us better deals because he is with the county...still not cheap though.

Last season he went away for 4 days with the 2nds to Glamorgan, and thankfully traveled by coach with the team - but had to buy food at the hotel himself. He ended up wandering into Abergavenny most evenings to get Fish & Chips, as the food at the hotel was way too fancy for him - but it was then reimbursed later.

Last winter they did a joint tour to Cape Town with the Kent Academy, but even that cost us almost £1k on top of the subsidized package (thanks Nan!)

With Pathway / Academy games here though, we have been transporting him around the country at our own cost for years. Thankfully, he now has his own car & a small part time job, so thats one thing less for us to worry about at least. Even with a job though he finds it tough to get enough hours as he has to be at Hove for gym work & nets etc all during the week after college.

Just to make things clear - Im not moaning about Sussex CCC at all. It is what it is, and just stating facts. They've been BRILLIANT with him EVERY step of the way, including with his injuries & rehab....all his healthcare is taken care of, so immediate access to MRI's when needed, and physios etc. - but when you get to this level you kinda hope that the club will take care of the other things a bit more, and we wouldn't have to keep stumping up the cash!

Its his final year in the Academy, so it really is a make or break year. His mate Henry Rogers signed a rookie contract recently, and the hope is that he will as well by next summer....If he doesn't, at least it'll be cheaper for us going forward, but ultimately a possible waste of money the last few years!

Must admit I find it unbelievable a youngster is selected for 2nd team and has to buy there own food especially when I think we had 4/5 overseas players.

 

[Eeyore]

100%.

My lad goes to a state school, we dont have much money, and we have battled through 6 or 7 years of having to find money for the pathway since U10/11s.
Even now, in the Academy, he / we dont have the money available to buy new gear each season when the old stuff wears out / bats break, or going on Tours abroad etc, so my lad is having to talk to KG to see if he knows of any sponsorship opportunities to try and bring costs down, & make it a little more affordable for us. Every other kid in the Academy has everything on a plate from rich parents it seems, while we have to ask generous grandparents if they can help out.

Cricket is still, and always will be IMO, an elite sport for the well-to-do and Private School kids. Its been a huge struggle sometimes trying to keep up with it all, but we do what we can.

Although my feeling is that it is important to say it was never intended that way. But it just is. The private schools often have their own grounds and facilities. State schools barely have playing fields. A lot of it depends on teachers too.

I was lucky. I went to St Luke's Juniors in Queen's Park. I had a cricket mad teacher in my final year and became addicted to the game. We played it even in deep winter. But then I was limited to games among friends and other matches that were little more than practice. I had six joint coaching sessions at Sussex that my parents paid for under supervision of Pat Cale who was highly respected. But apart from that I was self taught. At 14 I got involved with Preston Nomads, but it was very private school and I didn't fit in. It's a shame, because I was a talented quickie, but there was no avenue for improvement. I drifted into the village game later.

But that's the story of many youngsters. Only succeeding through lucky breaks or cricket mad parents. I don't blame the private schools, in fact in this case I'm thankful for them. They are keeping the game alive.

But it's on life support when I think about the type of cricket I knew and loved.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Must admit I find it unbelievable a youngster is selected for 2nd team and has to buy there own food especially when I think we had 4/5 overseas players.

Got to defend the club here - if I'm reading FP's post correctly, his lad didn't want the fancy food being provided for the players at the hotel, so went out in search of something to his taste - and was later reimbursed for what he spent.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Must admit I find it unbelievable a youngster is selected for 2nd team and has to buy there own food especially when I think we had 4/5 overseas players.

Sorry, should've been clearer. IIRC there was a general £20 per day allowance for the players anyway, which we assumed would be "put on the card" there and then, but because he wasn't keen on the stuff that was being dished up, he did go and find his own in the village...and it wasn't reimbursed until a few weeks after the trip. We sent him off with a few quid for any extras he might want for the hotel room etc. (as you do as parents), expecting there to be a good range of food available in the restaurant, but ended up transferring him a load more when it became apparent that he was going to have to pay for stuff himself outside of the hotel. Probably partly our fault for not knowing how the system works properly tbh.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Although my feeling is that it is important to say it was never intended that way. But it just is. The private schools often have their own grounds and facilities. State schools barely have playing fields. A lot of it depends on teachers too.

I was lucky. I went to St Luke's Juniors in Queen's Park. I had a cricket mad teacher in my final year and became addicted to the game. We played it even in deep winter. But then I was limited to games among friends and other matches that were little more than practice. I had six joint coaching sessions at Sussex that my parents paid for under supervision of Pat Cale who was highly respected. But apart from that I was self taught. At 14 I got involved with Preston Nomads, but it was very private school and I didn't fit in. It's a shame, because I was a talented quickie, but there was no avenue for improvement. I drifted into the village game later.

But that's the story of many youngsters. Only succeeding through lucky breaks or cricket mad parents. I don't blame the private schools, in fact in this case I'm thankful for them. They are keeping the game alive.

But it's on life support when I think about the type of cricket I knew and loved.

Literally from birth, I was by a cricket pitch with my siblings and friends every summer Saturday and Sunday. Either by the pitch, or as we got older, wandering off over the Parham Park estate climbing trees and hiding from each other in the high ferns, or fishing (poaching) in the trout pond. If the inclination took us, we'd have ad hoc games of cricket with a borrowed bat and a tennis ball - until getting shut down when the ball hit someone's Ford Capri or got hit onto the outfield one too many times.

Eventually we started playing junior cricket in Brighton (Patcham Priory), and were regularly playing men's cricket on Sundays from 13, and Brighton League cricket by 15.

At school (Hove Park) I think we played cricket in PE twice in my entire time, and it was a fairly shambolic affair, with a significant number of uninterested kids standing about with their hands in their pockets, watching the handful that already played the sport doing their thing - just reinforcing why state school PE teachers are not keen on including it.

In the 6th Form we played a few matches against other schools - but these were completely organised and driven by myself and Priory team-mate Matt Knight, with the support of one teacher to make it official.

In short, if it were not for my Dad's love of the game, I don't suppose I would have ever played it.

 

[Eeyore]

Literally from birth, I was by a cricket pitch with my siblings and friends every summer Saturday and Sunday. Either by the pitch, or as we got older, wandering off over the Parham Park estate climbing trees and hiding from each other in the high ferns, or fishing (poaching) in the trout pond. If the inclination took us, we'd have ad hoc games of cricket with a borrowed bat and a tennis ball - until getting shut down when the ball hit someone's Ford Capri or got hit onto the outfield one too many times.

Eventually we started playing junior cricket in Brighton (Patcham Priory), and were regularly playing men's cricket on Sundays from 13, and Brighton League cricket by 15.

At school (Hove Park) I think we played cricket in PE twice in my entire time, and it was a fairly shambolic affair, with a significant number of uninterested kids standing about with their hands in their pockets, watching the handful that already played the sport doing their thing - just reinforcing why state school PE teachers are not keen on including it.

In the 6th Form we played a few matches against other schools - but these were completely organised and driven by myself and Priory team-mate Matt Knight, with the support of one teacher to make it official.

In short, if it were not for my Dad's love of the game, I don't suppose I would have ever played it.

What you say is a summary of most experiences outwith the private schools. I played against one of your brothers in 1990 on a Sunday at Wish Road. I think he opened.

There was no love for cricket in my family. It was my teacher and a friend who got me into it. And it was 1981. A good year to cultivate interest, as you will remember. If it hadn't been for them I'd be looking at this thread thinking what a pointless game it was.

But now I sit here thinking what a huge part of my life it has been.

 

[albionalex]

More detail on the Orr departure, and mention of Aussie opener Daniel Hughes signing for the first half of next season.

Inside the Ali Orr transfer that shocked Sussex County Cricket Club

Loss of young Test prospect to more monied rivals after fall-out with coach has sparked fury around south coast club led by Rob Andrew

www.telegraph.co.uk

Sounds like a few factors at play but possibly Orr got a bit too big for his boots.

I am not sure I buy that we couldn't give Orr a pay rise though...

Hughes seems a bit of an underwhelming signing but presumably comes cheap.

 

[Eeyore]

Sounds like a few factors at play but possibly Orr got a bit too big for his boots.

I am not sure I buy that we couldn't give Orr a pay rise though...

Hughes seems a bit of an underwhelming signing but presumably comes cheap.

Similar average to Orr but in Sheffield Shield. Top one day player, mind. But not sure we have him for that.

 

[albionalex]

So I have it on good authority that when Orr was dismissed and walked off through the members area, he swore very loudly.

Farbs then absolutely hammered him, so much so that the Derbyshire players heard.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

100%.

My lad goes to a state school, we dont have much money, and we have battled through 6 or 7 years of having to find money for the pathway since U10/11s.
Even now, in the Academy, he / we dont have the money available to buy new gear each season when the old stuff wears out / bats break, or going on Tours abroad etc, so my lad is having to talk to KG to see if he knows of any sponsorship opportunities to try and bring costs down, & make it a little more affordable for us. Every other kid in the Academy has everything on a plate from rich parents it seems, while we have to ask generous grandparents if they can help out.

Cricket is still, and always will be IMO, an elite sport for the well-to-do and Private School kids. Its been a huge struggle sometimes trying to keep up with it all, but we do what we can.

It's just as tough for youngsters and their parents playing club cricket. My 13 year old moved from playing softball colts cricket to hard ball cricket last summer. The cost of the gear is ridiculous, and he's nearly 6ft tall so any thoughts i'd be able to get junior gear which would be slightly cheaper was a no go.

It's certainly a sport that less well off families would struggle to pay for which doesn't help with attracting a diverse set of players. My son has been invited to train with the MCC Foundation on a course especially for promising cricketers who aren't affiliated with a county side and go to state schools, so there are programs out there for promising youngsters. Now someone needs to set up some sort of support group for the parents of these kids and our wallets.

 

[amexer]

Sounds like a few factors at play but possibly Orr got a bit too big for his boots.

I am not sure I buy that we couldn't give Orr a pay rise though...

Hughes seems a bit of an underwhelming signing but presumably comes cheap.

With addition of hotel and flights no overseas player comes cheap

 

[albionalex]

With addition of hotel and flights no overseas player comes cheap

But on the scale of overseas players salaries, this bloke will be on the cheap side.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Grizzly not happy.

Orr release from Sussex reckless at best - Adams

Former Sussex captain Chris Adams says the decision to allow Ali Orr to join Hampshire is "reckless at best".

www.google.com

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Grizzly not happy.

Adams is NEVER happy.

 

[Pudos]

Adams is NEVER happy.

Feel like he gives it the big but never really comes forward to do the serious stuff. Will always be a Sussex legend though

 

[timbha]

Feel like he gives it the big but never really comes forward to do the serious stuff. Will always be a Sussex legend though

Did a fantastic job as Sussex Captain and top order batsman. That’s about it.

 

[amexer]

Adams is NEVER happy.

whats wrong with him plus Wells Hatchett and Nash giving views on what is going on