Cricket has been played on the Common since at least the middle of the eighteenth century and in 1947, to celebrate 200 years of cricket in Lindfield, the premier club in cricket, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), sent a side to play on the Common against Lindfield Cricket Club. This fixture has continued in alternate years to the present day as the opening match of Cricket Week, which commences on the first Sunday in August.
The Cricket Club currently runs four senior sides playing league cricket on Saturdays and two sides on Sundays, home matches being played on the Common, Hickmans Lane and Great Walstead School .
Junior Cricket has always been a priority for the Club and, on Sundays during the season, 200 youngsters from under nines to fifteen are coached by accredited coaches in the arts of batting, bowling, fielding and, most importantly in playing cricket, in the true spirit of the game. Junior League games for each age group are played throughout the season and sides also play in the Sussex Junior Cricket Festival during the school holidays. This festival was instigated by the late Tony Austin, who was a Lindfield Cricket Club member and a prime mover in promoting Junior Cricket throughout Sussex.
The club also supports the Orchid Charity Appeal (for research into testicular cancer) by running a six-a-side tournament on the August Bank Holiday Monday every year - this year is the 14th and will be played on 26th August. This event starts at 10.30am with matches throughout the day, culminating in the finals at 6.30pm. Over the years thousands of pounds have been raised for this worthy cause, testicular cancer having been experienced by some Club Members.
Social membership of the Club is available and members can participate in Social events throughout the season, as well as supporting your local village Cricket Club. Let’s ensure that the sight of young cricketers carrying their bags from all points of the compass to play cricket on the Common continues for the next 200 years.
Cricket Week on the Common
Sunday 4th MCC 11.30am
Monday 5th Soho Cricket Collective 2pm
Tuesday 6th Mid Sussex X1 2pm
Wednesday 7th Roger Collins X1 11.30am
Thursday 8th Kenya Kongonis 11.30am
Friday 9th Buxted Park 2pm