Ground information | |||
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Location | Hove, East Sussex | ||
Establishment | 1872 | ||
Capacity | 7,000 | ||
End names | |||
Cromwell Road End Sea End |
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International information | |||
Only ODI | 15 May 1999: India v South Africa |
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Team information | |||
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As of 2013 Source: CricketArchive |
Coordinates: 50°49′48″N 0°09′51″W / 50.83000°N 0.16417°W
The County Cricket Ground, also known as the 1st Central County Ground for sponsorship reasons, is a cricket venue in Hove, East Sussex, England. The County Ground is the home of Sussex County Cricket Club, where most Sussex home matches since 1872 have been played, although many other grounds in Sussex have been used. Sussex CCC continue to play some of their games away from The County Ground, at either Arundel Castle and Horsham. It is one of the few county grounds to have deckchairs for spectators, in the Sussex CCC colours of blue and white, and was the first cricket ground to install permanent floodlights, for Day/night cricket matches (and the second ground after Edgbaston) to host a day/night match in England, in 1997.
Prior to 1872, Sussex County Cricket Club played their home matches at Royal Brunswick Ground. The land for the County Ground was a barley field until it was bought in 1871. The turf from the Royal Brunswick Ground was then brought to the County Ground, which became the home of Sussex CCC in 1872, and continues to be so.
In 1872, George "Farmer" Bennett became the first batsman in first-class cricket to be given out handled ball during a match between Kent and Sussex at the County Ground. In 1873, Sussex bowled Worcestershire out for 19 at Hove. In 1884–85, the public raised £4,400 towards the purchase of the ground, with the Earl of Sheffield contributing an additional £600. In the 20th century, the ground was used for some other cricket matches, such as a charity match in 1927 between the "Jockeys" and the "Racing Press", in aid of the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital for children, and an annual match between local commercial travellers and grocers, nicknamed "Travellers v. Grocers"; in 1925, the match was won by the Travellers by 1 run.