Manor Sports Ground

{{Short description|Cricket ground in Worthing, West Sussex, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox cricket ground | ground_name = Manor Sports Ground | nickname = | image = Manor Sports Ground.jpg | country = England | location = Worthing, West Sussex | establishment = 1902 | seating_capacity = | end1 = | end2 = | international = | onlyodidate = | onlyodiyear = | onlyodihome = | onlyodiaway = a | year1 = 1902 – present | year2 = 1935 – 1964 | club1 = Worthing Cricket Club | club2 = Sussex County Cricket Club | date = 13 January | year = 2010 | source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/858.html CricketArchive }}The '''Manor Sports Ground''', is a cricket venue in Worthing, West Sussex, England. It is home to Worthing Cricket Club.

==History== One of the earliest recorded cricket matches at the Manor Sports Ground was on 17 July 1902 when Sussex Second XI took on Essex Second XI.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/858_misc.html|title = The Home of CricketArchive}}</ref> Since 1924 it has been owned by Worthing Borough Council (formerly Worthing Corporation) and the ground was laid out in consultation with Sussex County Cricket Club.<ref>{{cite web |title=Manor Sports Ground - Adur & Worthing Councils |url=https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/parks/find/worthing/manor-sports-ground/ |website=adur-worthing.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref>

The sports ground is named after Broadwater Manor, the manor house of the former manor of Broadwater, which lies some 50 yards to the north.

The Manor Ground hosted 43 first-class matches between 1935 and 1964, all of which involved Sussex County Cricket Club. It is hoped that first class cricket may soon return, as since 1999 minor Sussex matches have been played here.<ref name="Worthing Gov">{{cite web|url=http://www.worthing.gov.uk/worthings-services/leisureandculture/parksampopenspaces/parksinworthing/parksinalphabeticalorder/manorsportsground/|title=Manor Sports Ground|date=30 September 2008|publisher=Worthing Borough Council|accessdate=28 January 2010}}</ref>

The Manor Sports Ground has also hosted the internationally famous Worthing Hockey Festival since 1939.<ref name="Cricinfo">{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/ground/57429.html|title=Manor Sports Ground|year=2010|work=Cricinfo website|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|accessdate=28 January 2010}}</ref>

In the 1960s crowds of people attended the Police sports and tattoo event which was held at the ground.<ref>{{cite web |title=A gentle reminder for motorists – Worthing History |url=https://worthinghistory.com/?page_id=717 |website=worthinghistory.com}}</ref>

==Location== The large expanse of land is enclosed on three sides by housing and the other by a traditional flint wall. The ground lies between two significant north-south routes. The A24 Broadwater Road (the Worthing to London road) runs along the west side of the ground. Along the east side of the ground lies the Quashetts footpath, an ancient track which was originally used as a droveway over the South Downs into the Weald. The track seems to have been the basis of Worthing's grid system during the Romano-British period.<ref name="FF-Worthing">{{cite book |last1=Kerridge |first=Ronald |last2=Standing |first2=Michael |title=Worthing |publisher=The Francis Frith Collection |location=Teffont |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-85937-995-0}}{{page needed|date=December 2023}}</ref> The ground's entrance is in Georgia Avenue, a residential road to the south of the ground.

==Records== ===First-class=== *'''Lowest team total:''' 23 by Sussex v Warwickshire, 1964 *'''Highest individual innings:''' 241 by John Langridge for Sussex v Somerset, 1950 *'''Most wickets in a match:''' 15-75 by Ian Thomson for Sussex v Warwickshire,1964

==Facilities== The site has two pavilions including one from the inter-war period, 2 cricket pitches, as well as 5 hockey and up to 3 mini football pitches.<ref name="Worthing Gov"/> It takes up an area of {{convert|11.55|acres|ha}}.<ref name="Worthing Gov"/>

== See also == * Sport in Worthing

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Worthing Category:Cricket grounds in West Sussex Category:Sports venues completed in 1902 Category:Sport in Worthing