Don’t dream it’s over – why Sussex fans should remain optimistic for the future

By Ewan White

Last week was a busy one down in Hove with the announcements of a new CEO from 2027 in Beth Barrett-Wild and a new Director of Cricket, former Sussex head-coach and player, Mark Robinson.

However, it is fair to say Sussex arrived at both appointments via the scenic route.

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Turmoil

The Martlets began the year by being placed in special measures by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) due to financial mismanagement and breaches of sustainability regulations.

As a result, it is now the ECB who monitors player signings and financial returns.

Three months later, on the eve of the new campaign, Paul Farbrace confirmed he would leave as Men’s Head Coach at the end of the season “to give the Club clarity as it now plans for the future.”

But, it is not clarity that has followed.

In July, it was announced that Farbrace would remain as Director of Cricket, with Matt Walker coming in as Head Coach.

A month before Farbrace was due to move into his new office though, he accepted the same role on a full-time basis at Lancashire… you may have heard his immediate involvement in the decision to release James Anderson.

Batting and bowling coaches Grant Flower and James Kirtley have likewise departed – it has still yet to be confirmed who will take their places.

The Farbrace effect

Whatever they might think of Farbrace’s decision to hand the 44 year-old legend his P-45, Lancashire fans should take some comfort in the ex-Sussex boss’ ability to revive failing teams with young talent. 

Before Farbrace’s arrival, Sussex finished second bottom of Division Two in the 2022 County Championship, winning one game all season.

Leicestershire, the only club below them, managed to rack up 756-4 at Hove that year in a dull draw.

In which, young prospects Henry Crocombe and James Coles returned figures of 0-97 and 1-198, respectively. 

But today, both players are within the England setup and played vital roles in Sussex’s highly commendable third-place finish in the 2026 County Championship. 

They would have claimed second spot were it not for a 12-point deduction imposed at the start of the campaign, as a result of their precarious financial situation.

Farbrace had urged the players to give it a “brilliant go” given the circumstances, before the squad will be “broken up at the end of the season,” and they certainly did that in the red-ball format.

And indeed it now has been broken up.

Should I stay or should I go?

Ten players have officially departed upon the conclusion of the domestic season.

Most notably, star-bowler Crocombe is off to rivals Surrey, all-rounder Fynn Hudson-Prentice is Hampshire-bound and wicketkeeper John Simpson heads up to 2025 champions Nottinghamshire. 

Australian opener Dan Hughes, the club’s top run-scorer in the 2026 County Championship and whom Sussex commentator Adrian Harms judged “absolutely key” to prevent batting collapses, will not return after spending three years as an overseas.

Fellow top-order batters Tom Alsop (Gloucestershire) and Harrison Ward are also among those to leave the club.

And perhaps more significantly, it has been widely reported that captain, and men’s Test player of the year, Ollie Robinson could yet be calling up the moving companies too.

So, a mass exodus of match-winning talent on the field and the loss of a transformative coaching staff off of it – the winter weather on the South Coast may seem to many a forecast for next season.

Yet, it is worth remembering there are still plenty of bright sparks within the squad, including current and possible future England internationals.

Still in the building

Opener Tom Haines was in the frame to replace Zak Crawley in the Test side this summer.

Instead, England opted for a more prosaic left-hander, albeit one in outstanding form, in Durham’s Emilio Gay. 

Like Haines, Northern Irish off-spinner Jack Carson has featured for England Lions.

His 2026 averages do not leap off the page – 37.07 with the ball and 27.71 with the bat – nor do they reflect his importance. 

Carson frequently held up the tail in difficult moments, most notably at The Oval in May where the 25-year-old added 173 for the ninth-wicket alongside his skipper Ollie Robinson.

The pair both recorded tons as Sussex recovered from 92-7 to a respectable 358-9d against a strong Surrey attack.

The biggest name still at Hove has to be James Coles.

The star all-rounder, who commanded the biggest price in the Hundred auction and was recently awarded an England development contract, will have to step up in 2027 though after averaging an unspectacular 33.05 in the Championship last season.

Nevertheless, he reminded us all of his immense talent with an explosive 224 red-inker against Glamorgan in June. 

Aside from Coles, there are less familiar names who could play a crucial role next year. 

Scottish-capped wicketkeeper Charlie Tear, 22, shone in the One-Day-Cup with an average of 47.37 which included two centuries. 

His late season form was rewarded with a rare contract extension, a badge of honour in Sussex’s current state.

Sean Hunt has only played nine Championship matches in two years but has been outstanding when fit. 

With averages of 16.18 in 2025 and 23.05 in 2026, the left-arm seamer is arguably the best-kept secret in English cricket and could be set for a breakthrough year.

Looking ahead

Hunt’s inconsistent availability and Tear’s emergence into the first-class side are symptomatic of what could make or break Sussex next season; injuries.

Sussex’s squad was down to the bare bones this year, so much so that they were forced to call upon the services of seamer Ari Karvelas. 

The Greek international (via South Africa) was working as a coach, having been released by the club in 2025, before being selected for the final four Championship games. 

Admittedly, given the quantity of players heading elsewhere, with Keith Dudgeon and Joey Evison the only incomings as it stands, Sussex may well find life much harder in 2027 if injuries take their toll.

However, Sussex showed across the final block of the season that they belonged at the top table.

With the likes of Hughes and Hudson-Prentice missing through injury, as well as Crocombe and Coles unavailable on England duty, Sussex still more than held their own. 

Following a nail-biting defeat at Edgbaston upon the August resumption of the County Championship, they went on to win three of their final five games.

This included a seven-wicket trouncing of title-chasing Nottinghamshire, in which Karvelas claimed 5-42. 

The other two were rain-induced draws against both Surrey and Somerset. 

Although it is not certain whether Karvelas will be back, and whilst these matches did feature players no longer donning the Martlets on their chest, they should offer some encouragement for the near future. 

Against very strong Division One opponents, they proved to be far from the pushover their off-field situation might otherwise have suggested. In fact, quite the contrary.

If anyone reckons Sussex are destined for the drop next season, they might want to reconsider.

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