Hubert Doggart

Hubert Doggart has just turned 90 and this remarkable man gave a speech at a birthday lunch in his honour at Horsham. He won no less than 5 blues in cricket, football, squash, fives and racquets and on his Cambridge debut scored 215 against Lancashire,scoring 2000 runs in one season. He and John Dewes were called to their international colours as undergraduates against West Indies but he struggled against the spin of Ramadin. He played for Sussex as an amateur whilst fashioning a successful career as a teacher at Winchester and Headmaster of the Kings School, Bruton. Still spritely in his animated address, we enjoyed hearing stories of the days when he as an amateur he stayed at the Grand Eastbourne when the county played at the Saffrons and the professionals went home.

Suusex sadly could not score more into their two innings collectively than James Taylor managed in his one. After this defeat in three days, we are now in the bottom three and, given the impact that Peter Moores has made at Nottinghamshire on a temporary consultancy, I can see pressure to bring him back to Sussex. Although the it is true we have lost 4 front line bowlers through injury (Mills, Shahzad, Anyon and Hatchett) this does not excuse some lame batting. Only one dismissal was a bowling one and we were cavalier at the crease.

A crucial game at The Kia Oval this Friday will determine if we get a quarter final spot in the T20 Blast and on Sunday we are back at the lovely Horsham ground to contest a Royal London Cup match with Lancashire.