Cricket is generally believed to have originated out of children's bat and ball games in the areas of the Weald and North and South Downs in Kent and Sussex.
[1][2] The two counties and Surrey were the first centres of the game,[3][4] and matches played by teams using the name Sussex are found as early as 1734.
[13] A Sussex Cricket Fund had been established at Brighton in 1836 and this led to the formation of the county club three years later.
The club played its first first-class match later the same year, with MCC the opponents at Lord's.
[11] This list includes those who played for Sussex sides in matches which have been given first-class status before the 1839 season.