“Sussex are understood to have been one of five counties in the red zone of the ECB’s ’red, amber, green’ sustainability ratings that assess each club’s financial position last season, and their problems have worsened since.“

@essexcricket.bsky.social is 150 years old! @thegrumbler.bsky.social joined in the celebrations… open.spotify.com/episode/03uG...

Cast-iron legend. One of my favourite sights at Chelmsford is seeing JK and Ray East wandering around at Champ games, deep in convivial conversation. Still mates, still Essex

At the exact date, time & location of the foundation meeting 150 years earlier, Essex CCC celebrated a special birthday Gooch's speech overan - recalled the 100th, got emotional remembering Doug Insole Many old players there. Community work lauded. County cricket is special

Nice crowd in for the 150th birthday party Messers Gooch, Pringle, Acfield, Such and Gallian, Porter, S Cook, Silverwood in the house.

A few early graphs from my County Cricket survey. Keeping the juicy stuff for the next newsletter 373 responses - 49% are 'long-standing', 'active' members, 32% describe themselves as "very interested" non-members. Link to newsletter: countycricket.substa...

Happy Birthday Essex CCC, 150 years old today I’m off to the cathedral later

Here's a ray of cricketing sunshine for you. My survey asked "Use a couple of words/terms to describe the POSITIVES you get from following county cricket" Here are the top 100 words from the 360 respondents so far

Here's a ray of cricketing sunshine for you. My survey asked "Use a couple of words/terms to describe the POSITIVES you get from following county cricket" Here are the top 100 words from the 360 respondents so far

Great piece that gets to the heart of THE CENTRAL problem with English cricket. Those in power present themselves as agents of change. Quite the opposite Changing this (and them) is what we really need www.theguardian.com/...

The #FACup is like the County Championship. Disrespected, pushed around, ignored because of more moneyed competitions. But the sporting glory and sporting story is creates is like nothing else Because it MEANS something. All the marketing spend in the world can’t buy that.

Solving the major systemic probs in English men's international cricket will NOT be solved by getting rid of the one non-Englishman in the set-up* Much, much deeper than that. Rooted in the culture of English cricket This involves looking higher up. Like... at the top

Weren't the last four years 'the opportunity to stay in their posts'? It was all building up to this Ashes series and we lost the first three Tests, two of them badly. Their strategy, their mistakes. End of story. Their story.

The Grumbler's County Cricket newsletter is FIVE years old today. Here's the first edition. A link to the 174th (and current) one is in the next post. Current stats: 2,100 subscribers, open rate 60%, ave 14k page views in season

The Grumbler's County Cricket newsletter is FIVE years old today. Here's the first edition. A link to the 174th (and current) one is in the next post. Current stats: 2,100 subscribers, open rate 60%, ave 14k page views in season

Approaching 200 entries on the County Cricket survey. Some interesting patterns emerging Fill it up using the link in the newsletter

🏏 New County #Cricket newsletter. Pls share & enjoy 🟣 Fill up my County Cricket survey 🟢 RIP Hugh Morris 🤷 Ashes failure but no change likely? 🔴 Ex-Eng opener savages set-up 🔵 Bashir finally finds a county? 🟡 Inside track on Thompson's move

🏏 New County #Cricket newsletter. Pls share & enjoy 🟣 Fill up my County Cricket survey 🟢 RIP Hugh Morris 🤷 Ashes failure but no change likely? 🔴 Ex-Eng opener savages set-up 🔵 Bashir finally finds a county? 🟡 Inside track on Thompson's move

New newsletter coming in the next day or so. This one will have a survey about the county game, its fans and its future. What questions would you suggest be included?

One for the Essex fans. Bit of a surprise - Doug Bracewell has retired from 'all forms' due to a rib injury. Did a solid job for Essex in a couple of spells over the last two seasons

Here's wishing you the bluest sky And hoping something better comes tomorrow Hoping all the verses rhyme And the very best of choruses to Follow all the doubt and sadness I know that better things are on the way #HappyNewYear2026

A fine & fair piece. But for non-hosts it's an inflatable lifebelt with a slow puncture. Even if they learn to swim, they must build the strength to stay afloat long term If they don't, they sink with little trace. And it will be seen as 'their fault'

If the players, coaches and pundits start reframing this Ashes series on the back of today's win with phrases like "fine margins" then we'll know nothing will change And I'll see you in four years for... exactly the same thing

mad that this shambolic, nihilistic farce of a series is - by dint of this single stupid win - now in england’s top ten greatest men’s ashes tours since WW2

Things I somehow feel dutybound to finish but am currently struggling to get through the last parts of: 1) The turkey 2) #StrangerThings 3) #TheAshes

This story says Luc Benkenstein is going to be released from his contract next week. Needs more game time. Fair enough as Critchley blocks his path. But a fine talent and real shame to see him go Hants is mentioned as a possible destination

This is a really good piece on the ridiculous position English cricket has got itself into. And how it keeps on getting 'played' Worth subscribing for www.thecricketer.com...

We'll be waiting a long time for anyone in top-level sport to say this. Dynamic pricing becoming the norm for big events. Already there from Oasis to FIFA World Cup. And BTW don't expect those H*ndred tickets to stay priced at half of those in Blast

🏏 New County Cricket newsletter. Please share and enjoy 🟣 England's Ashes shambles - will it change their approach to county cricket? 🟢 Rushworth retires 🟠 Derbys, Hants, Worcs secure overseas 🔴 Stewart back in Surrey hot seat 🔵 Jimmy to captain Lancs

Right on cue, the same old voices presenting themselves as the solution... ...when, in fact, they are the problem.

🏏 New County Cricket newsletter. Please share and enjoy 🟣 England's Ashes shambles - will it change their approach to county cricket? 🟢 Rushworth retires 🟠 Derbys, Hants, Worcs secure overseas 🔴 Stewart back in Surrey hot seat 🔵 Jimmy to captain Lancs

HUGE story here with unnamed sources breaking ranks One senior county chief told The Cricketer: "The agenda is to kill us and it's working." The insider believes the ECB want no more than "12 debt-free clubs in big stadiums playing red-ball cricket".

I feel a newsletter coming on

Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua might end up being more competitive than this #Ashes series #AUSvENG #Ashes2025

Jesus H Christ! If not after an away Ashes series you've built towards for years, a long period of v average results vs the big teams, groupthink, arrogance, illogical faith in some players, mismanagement of others & utter disrespect for counties... ...then when

These are to crisps what the H*ndred is to cricket Just speculating but did the same marketing consultants who advised ECB do a bit of cross-selling after getting an intro to one of the sponsors "New markets, be disruptive, data says youngsters can't understand old flavours..."

Harrison and Graves plan worked perfectly (for them, and a handful of players and coaches). As for the rest of us … #Cricket’s new #elitism has arrived.

You know that saying, "sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" It's wrong It's actually Australian DJ pranks

I'm a supporter of John Stephenson Chartered Essex thru choppiest waters in their history. Vested interests created bad enviro for him. But compare Essex outcomes to Yorks saga. And quote on ECB in this piece says everything. Now in a better, bigger job

Another trundler who is only good enough for the likes of Championship Bet the Hants keeper doesn't even have to stand back

To use a US sports phrase This is the franchise player Get her signed up long-term and build the team around her

This is from my YouTube ‘wrapped’ And it is ‘videos watched’. If it is ‘minutes watched’ I am in the top 0.00001% surely

Honestly, the depth of support from the U.K. sports fan is incredible. Often defies belief and all common sense Not just ‘big eventers’ to get this sort of result.

Honestly, the depth of support from the U.K. sports fan is incredible. Often defies belief and all common sense Not just ‘big eventers’ to get this sort of result.

Watching England fail again, got bored

County cricket is five months away and England are annoying. Therefore I will spend the afternoon concentrating on this Essex v Somerset fixture The big boys await in the Third Round

Good job Australia have been without two of the best three bowlers in the first two Tests Otherwise we’d be in real danger of losing the series already. As it stands, no evidence we should consider changing our strategy or even accepting outside perspectives

That went well

Switched over to Place in the Sun. Let me know when Gianni has stopped his YouTube skits and the actual draw starts

FIFA making a strong bid to take the ECB's crown as most ridiculous governing body