Sussex 2026 County Championship Full Season Preview
- 44 minutes ago
- 4 min read
by Ronan Alexander & The Cricket Draft
With the cricket season fast approaching, now is the time to ensure you and your club are covered! Don’t risk the season with under insurance & outdated valuations; contact ASI, the specialist sports broker and PCA partner, to get your club or your own policy sorted before the first ball is bowled.
County Championship Values for 2026
Banker, Wildcard, Young Gun & England Watch
Banker: John Simpson (WKT) £7.6m
A standout performer in 2025, Simpson will be looking to replicate that success this season. He played all 14 matches last year and is expected to do the same this year, making him a “lock” each week and a reliable banker for points following his 2025 performances.
Wildcard: Jack Leaning (BAT) £6.4m
Leaning didn’t have his best year in 2025 within a struggling Kent team, but he’ll be hoping his move to Sussex helps him rediscover his best form. He also gives Sussex another bowling option after taking nine wickets in his eight appearances last year. Valued at only £6.4m, he offers budget flexibility and is a player many might overlook after a difficult season.
Young Gun: Sean Hunt (BWL) £5.9m
Sussex often rotate their seamers, and 24-year-old Sean Hunt is someone who consistently takes his opportunities. He grabbed 11 wickets in just three matches last year, averaging 128.33 points per game despite a modest £5.3m price tag. With the departure of Karvelas, a slot could open up for him to feature more regularly this time around.
England Watch: James Coles (ALR) £7.5m
Coles had a fantastic summer in 2025 and looks to have gone from strength to strength over the winter. He was excellent for Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 and has performed well for the England Lions recently, which will only boost his chances of receiving his first senior cap this summer. His UNBELIEVABLE auction price @ The Hundred shows his ceiling is exceptionally high.
Potential Starting XI for GW 1
2025 Review
Sussex enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign, finishing fourth in Division One after a balanced run of four wins, four losses, and six draws across their 14 matches. A consistent average first-innings score of 293 at home ensured highly competitive cricket throughout the summer, maintaining a fine equilibrium between bat and ball. John Simpson and James Coles emerged as the standout performers with the bat, while Ollie Robinson spearheaded the bowling attack with his trademark precision. The side’s depth was further bolstered by all-rounders Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Jack Carson, who both contributed significantly by scoring over 400 runs and claiming 27 and 26 wickets, respectively.
Strategic overseas recruitment also proved vital; Daniel Hughes provided stability at the top of the order all summer, while the second overseas slot was effectively rotated between a quartet of seamers. Gurinder Sandhu, Jaydev Unadkat, Nathan McAndrew, and Jayden Seales combined for 13 appearances and 51 wickets, maximising the impact of that overseas spot. Despite this on-field success, the club will have their work cut out for them in the upcoming season following the announcement of a 12-point deduction triggered by sustained financial losses.
2025 Stat Attack
Sussex boasted two of the league’s top run-getters; John Simpson finished with the seventh-most runs (1,086), while James Coles followed closely in 13th place with 1,032 runs.
Both players were among an elite group of only 14 players to surpass the 2,000-point barrier. Simpson secured 2,391 points (the most for any wicketkeeper and fifth overall), while Coles earned 2,220 points (seventh overall).
Ollie Robinson remained a consistent threat, finishing with 39 wickets, the 17th highest tally in the division.
Sean Hunt proved to be a standout “value” pick (when available); among bowlers priced at £6.0m or less with at least three appearances, he recorded the fourth-highest points-per-game average.
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Player Ins & Outs
Sussex have been active in the transfer market over the winter, with several key arrivals and departures at the club. Daniel Hughes and Jaydev Unadkat return as overseas players this campaign after impressing throughout 2025. Danny Briggs also returns to Hove on a white-ball contract following five years at Warwickshire and a recent loan stint at Hampshire. In what looks to be a shrewd piece of recruitment, Tom Price joins from Gloucestershire alongside teammate Dominic Goodman, while Jack Leaning arrives from Kent to bolster the batting unit across all three formats. Moving in the opposite direction is Ari Karvelas, who spent time on loan at Surrey last year and now leaves the club. Also released are youngsters Bertie Foreman and Archie Lenham, as well as Henry Rogers and Dutch international Zach Lion-Cachet.
2026 Fixtures
Sussex begin the season with an away trip to newly promoted Leicestershire before hosting Warwickshire in Gameweek 2, ahead of a scheduled break in Week 3. Three of their next four matches are also on the road, with trips to Yorkshire, Surrey, and Somerset, punctuated by a home fixture against Leicestershire at Hove. June sees the side play back-to-back home games against Glamorgan and Hampshire before they head to Edgbaston in August. Somerset then visit the South Coast, preceding a challenging run-in through September; Sussex will face Essex, Surrey, Nottinghamshire, and Hampshire to round off the campaign.
