In the absence of any significant cricketing issues to talk about this week, I thought I'd take you through my movements in the last seven fairly atypical days. It was mainly uncharacteristic because there was no County Championship fixture last week
It was an ominous sign - three ducks waddling on the outfield. 'Welcome to Worcester CCC', the sign on the gate said. To the Sussex players getting out of their cars, it looked like the monsoons had diverted their course from Bangladesh. A saturated outfield
There is a chart on the wall of our dressing room which depicts a stairway leading up into the clouds. Each stair represents ten championship points. At the top of the stairs is the glory of a championship victory. After each match we fill in the requisite
I write with regard to the recent calls in your letters pages for more draconian restrictions on firearms owned by law-abiding subjects of this country. Is it appropriate to punish large numbers of people who have committed no crime for the actions of
Eighties pop sensations Bucks Fizz are reforming after 15 years - without David Van Day. Cheryl Baker, Bobby Gee, Mike Nolan, and Shelley Preston are taking part in the Here And Now nationwide tour, which visits the Brighton Centre. But Van Day, who in
I had to write in regard to Cassie Watts being given six months in prison for attacking a girl who had mugged her, and her dad who was there with her but not involved in the attack also being given six months. What point is a prison sentence? These are
Sussex tossed away the opportunity to claim a second totesport League win of the season after they failed to defend a formidable 267-9 against Yorkshire at Headingley. Australian left-hander Phil Jaques, a prolific run-scorer for Northamptonshire last
The first steps towards restoring an internationally famous block of flats have been backed by city councillors. Brighton and Hove planning committee passed an outline application by Bluestorm for restoration of Embassy Court in King's Road. Work can
Gardeners inspired by TV makeover shows to import tropical plants have unleashed a deadly disease threatening to wipe out trees across Sussex, scientists believe. Fans of programmes such as BBC1's Ground Force, starring Charlie Dimmock, are bringing together
Albion are hopeful of thrashing out new player deals over the next week. The Seagulls aim to complete a batch of summer signings and finalise contract offers with players who helped the club return to Division One. Chairman Dick Knight said: "It's all
I am an amateur historian whose interest has been further sparked by The Argus's recent coverage of D-Day. address below. -Rhandolph Stearman,10 Whippingham Road, Brighton BN2 3PG
Edward Kennett is set to make a shock return to the Eastbourne Eagles team, less than a month after quitting the club. The Sussex wonder kid will make his comeback in next Monday's televised Elite League match at home to Oxford. Kennett, who won through
Bowling at the likes of Stuart Law and Carl Hooper in front of live TV cameras certainly beats what Luke Wright found himself doing during the winter. Sussex's new all-rounder spent a week working in a cheese factory near his Leicestershire home to earn
Scoring a hundred against Lancashire ranks pretty highly among Chris Adams' pleasures in life. But his third in five innings against Sussex's old rivals at Old Trafford yesterday will have given him extra satisfaction. Lancashire were convinced they had
Schoolboy Ed Ellson had to sit an exam in isolation after he turned up wearing a skirt in protest at uniform rules. Teachers at Ringmer Community College, near Lewes, deemed Ed's black knee-length skirt too distracting and made him sit in a separate room
Violence in homes and on the streets worldwide devastates economies as well as lives, the UN health agency warned yesterday. In its report the agency detailed how countries are spending billions a year dealing with the consequences of violence. Some nations
A Sussex firm has won a £30 million contract to train easyJet pilots. The seven-year deal for Burgess Hill training and technologies firm CAE, in Innovation Drive, will see airline recruits coming to the town for up to five weeks at a time. Managing director
New trains being introduced in Sussex are too heavy for the tracks. Safety experts have warned that the class 377 Electrostars, which weigh ten per cent more than the slam-door stock they are replacing, will wear the rails down more quickly. Network Rail
Homeowners are bracing themselves for another rise in interest rates today. The Bank of England may increase them for a second consecutive month, to 4.5 per cent, to cool house price growth and consumer borrowing. But some economists predict it will wait
The owners of the Palace Pier are being prosecuted after an accident on a roller coaster ride. Day-trippers on the pier-end Turbo Coaster were left dangling over a missing piece of track. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which began investigating
A man invited his best friend to stay at his house where he raped his seven-year-old daughter. Christopher Packham set up a webcam in his lounge to check his friend was asleep before carrying the little girl to his bedroom. Packham, 36, of South Coast
In the past two weeks, Big Brother's Kitten has become the most ridiculed woman in Britain. She burst into the house like a roaring lion, snarling abuse at the cameras - the worst kind of advert for all the causes she claims to represent. So when I met
Householders will have to live under the shadow of plans for a second runway at Gatwick for a further 15 years, an MP has claimed. The Government has placed the airport on the "subs' bench," with expansion taking place only if proposals to add an extra
Sussex's shellshocked batsmen headed straight for the nets after their worst performance at Hove for nearly two years ruined the county's first home game since they became champions. The Hove crowd watched in stunned silence as their side lost nine wickets
Sussex came agonisingly close to beginning their Championship defence with a coveted win over Surrey at The Oval. Having established a first innings lead of 189, they reduced Surrey to 88-7 second time around and were still favourites despite an eighth
Sussex skipper Chris Adams is happy to be forging a reputation as a big game performer. Adams took a century off the Surrey attack for the third season running to put the county in a strong position in their opening Championship match at the Oval. Five
Mushtaq Ahmed had star billing as Sussex began their Championship defence at the Oval but he was upstaged by a former Pakistan team-mate on an entertaining start to the new season. Azhar Mahmood led a thrilling fightback by belting 84 off 97 balls as
Brighton station is to get new toilets after a campaign to improve them lasting more than six years. The loos, which are underground and have limited access have been labelled a disgrace by passengers. Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper has raised the
From a players' point of view there were four significant features of Sunday's victory against Somerset. Vital contributions from Goodwin, Kirtley and Wright were obvious but the atmosphere created by the crowd contributed covertly to the success. The
In the absence of any significant cricketing issues to talk about this week, I thought I'd take you through my movements in the last seven fairly atypical days. It was mainly uncharacteristic because there was no County Championship fixture last week
During yet another rain break I had a conversation with one of the avid band of supporters who travel the length and breadth of the country to watch us play. The gentleman in question must have watched more hours of live county cricket than most and so
As the team embarks on a mini tour of England - we travel to Worcester, Durham and Northampton in the next fortnight - it may be a good time to reflect on a hectic start to the season. Sunday's win against Middlesex in the first National League game was
I was horrified to read that the police are trying to force their female officers to become gun-proficient, (The Argus, June 3). Evidently they have fallen for the Blairite, pro-USA nonsense that 'Terrorism' justifies this undemocratic escalation of armed
In response to Graham Burgess (Letters, May 31), it is now an offence under the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 to manufacture, sell, purchase, transfer or acquire an air weapon that uses a self-contained gas cartridge system. Anyone holding this type
Eighties pop sensations Bucks Fizz are reforming after 15 years - without David Van Day. Cheryl Baker, Bobby Gee, Mike Nolan, and Shelley Preston are taking part in the Here And Now nationwide tour, which visits the Brighton Centre. But Van Day, who in
The recent breakdown in the air traffic control system has caused concern about the proposed super fire control covering some eight counties. It is possible that smaller systems would work. I see no reason that there should not be a single unit for Sussex
I had to write in regard to Cassie Watts being given six months in prison for attacking a girl who had mugged her, and her dad who was there with her but not involved in the attack also being given six months. What point is a prison sentence? These are
The first steps towards restoring an internationally famous block of flats have been backed by city councillors. Brighton and Hove planning committee passed an outline application by Bluestorm for restoration of Embassy Court in King's Road. Work can
The Medlock Train must be remembered by hundreds of troops as it carried them from England to Calais, which was then (1945) bombed flat. I and my girlfriends had joined the YMCA as a means of getting abroad immediately after the war. We were to run canteens
Gardeners inspired by TV makeover shows to import tropical plants have unleashed a deadly disease threatening to wipe out trees across Sussex, scientists believe. Fans of programmes such as BBC1's Ground Force, starring Charlie Dimmock, are bringing together
I watched the D-Day programmes on the television and was moved to tears. Two people should never have been there - Blair and Hoon. What do they know about honour and sacrifice? Nothing. They haven't even got the courage to stand with our soldiers in Iraq
While everybody is interested in the news of the Second World War, remember the women at home who had to do men's jobs - fire watching at night and sleeping in air raid shelters, not knowing whether they would find their houses had been bombed, their
The D-Day commemoration programmes on television made compulsive viewing. This nation and Europe should be eternally grateful to all involved. The biggest sea-borne invasion in history was accomplished by persons in their twenties. Those who were spared
I am an amateur historian whose interest has been further sparked by The Argus's recent coverage of D-Day. address below. -Rhandolph Stearman,10 Whippingham Road, Brighton BN2 3PG
Our grateful thanks to the team who planted the D-Day flower bed and flag beds in Easthill Park, Portslade. This park, with its children's playground and 'secret garden' oasis is a real pleasure to walk in. -BG Burgess, Portslade
Hundreds of D-Day veterans in Sussex paid a moving tribute to fallen colleagues and brought home the true cost of war (The Argus, June 7). Former members of the armed services remembered the 60th anniversary of the day 156,000 allied troops landed on
Bowling at the likes of Stuart Law and Carl Hooper in front of live TV cameras certainly beats what Luke Wright found himself doing during the winter. Sussex's new all-rounder spent a week working in a cheese factory near his Leicestershire home to earn
Albion are hopeful of thrashing out new player deals over the next week. The Seagulls aim to complete a batch of summer signings and finalise contract offers with players who helped the club return to Division One. Chairman Dick Knight said: "It's all
Violence in homes and on the streets worldwide devastates economies as well as lives, the UN health agency warned yesterday. In its report the agency detailed how countries are spending billions a year dealing with the consequences of violence. Some nations
The owners of the Palace Pier are being prosecuted after an accident on a roller coaster ride. Day-trippers on the pier-end Turbo Coaster were left dangling over a missing piece of track. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which began investigating
Householders will have to live under the shadow of plans for a second runway at Gatwick for a further 15 years, an MP has claimed. The Government has placed the airport on the "subs' bench," with expansion taking place only if proposals to add an extra
New trains being introduced in Sussex are too heavy for the tracks. Safety experts have warned that the class 377 Electrostars, which weigh ten per cent more than the slam-door stock they are replacing, will wear the rails down more quickly. Network Rail
The owners of the Palace Pier are being prosecuted after an accident on a roller coaster ride. Day-trippers on the pier-end Turbo Coaster were left dangling over a missing piece of track. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which began investigating
Sussex's shellshocked batsmen headed straight for the nets after their worst performance at Hove for nearly two years ruined the county's first home game since they became champions. The Hove crowd watched in stunned silence as their side lost nine wickets
Sussex ran into their usual trouble with the Law on the second day's play at Hove before Mushtaq Ahmed dragged them back into contention against Lancashire. Stuart Law scored an unbeaten 171, his fourth hundred against the county since switching from
Sussex skipper Chris Adams is happy to be forging a reputation as a big game performer. Adams took a century off the Surrey attack for the third season running to put the county in a strong position in their opening Championship match at the Oval. Five
Mushtaq Ahmed had star billing as Sussex began their Championship defence at the Oval but he was upstaged by a former Pakistan team-mate on an entertaining start to the new season. Azhar Mahmood led a thrilling fightback by belting 84 off 97 balls as
Trawling through the Sussex website's message board it has been interesting to note the growing voice of concern amongst the Sussex supporters. Amongst the sane balanced voices, there are the usual calls for radical team changes. Bring him and him in.
A rare day off on Monday was perfectly timed to enable us to watch the climax to the thrilling Test match at Lord's. England again paid attention to the winning formula they had worked out in the Caribbean - and what a fantastic debut it was for the Middlesex
It was an ominous sign - three ducks waddling on the outfield. 'Welcome to Worcester CCC', the sign on the gate said. To the Sussex players getting out of their cars, it looked like the monsoons had diverted their course from Bangladesh. A saturated outfield
There is a chart on the wall of our dressing room which depicts a stairway leading up into the clouds. Each stair represents ten championship points. At the top of the stairs is the glory of a championship victory. After each match we fill in the requisite
I write with regard to the recent calls in your letters pages for more draconian restrictions on firearms owned by law-abiding subjects of this country. Is it appropriate to punish large numbers of people who have committed no crime for the actions of
I would like to respond to your article 'Worry at security staff cuts' (The Argus, June 4) which incorrectly suggested that Gatwick was reducing the number of security staff working at the airport. BAA is actually increasing the security workforce at
All the girls at James Watt College in Greenock, Scotland, would like to pay our respects to Danielle Billingham (aka Edwards) who was sadly taken from us in the A23 disaster. She was a good friend and classmate at our hairdressing course. We are still
Sussex tossed away the opportunity to claim a second totesport League win of the season after they failed to defend a formidable 267-9 against Yorkshire at Headingley. Australian left-hander Phil Jaques, a prolific run-scorer for Northamptonshire last
A miserable five days in Worcester ended on a suitably sombre note for Sussex as they suffered their first defeat of the season in the totesport League. The Sharks looked to be pacing their pursuit of Worcestershire's 239-5 perfectly, but when the white
Chris Adams and Peter Moores had promised a long overdue improvement in Sussex's one-day performances and so far they are being true to their word. The Sharks began the new National League campaign with a comprehensive eight-wicket win at Lord's which
Albion are hopeful of thrashing out new player deals over the next week. The Seagulls aim to complete a batch of summer signings and finalise contract offers with players who helped the club return to Division One. Chairman Dick Knight said: "It's all
Perhaps readers would like to share the thoughts of an 81-year-old friend of mine. Visiting her on Monday it was obvious she had been crying. "Oh Judy!" she said, "what a lovely, emotional day I had on Sunday watching all the coverage of the D-Day programmes
A woman raffling her £250,000 home to raise money for a children's charity has had more than 1,000 entries in the first two weeks. Entrants pay £5 and have to describe in no more than 25 words why they deserve to win the house. Owner Ursula Dowd, 45,
Edward Kennett is set to make a shock return to the Eastbourne Eagles team, less than a month after quitting the club. The Sussex wonder kid will make his comeback in next Monday's televised Elite League match at home to Oxford. Kennett, who won through
I watched the D-Day anniversary on TV. It was very moving to see all those now-old soldiers make it back to the ceremony in France. As a child in the Second World War, I was in a building that was machine-gunned and bombed by a German aircraft. The fact
Danny and Richard Midgley are divided by 3,000 miles and united by sporting ambition. The brothers from Burgess Hill are preparing to head back to the United States to continue their education in the toughest basketball environment of them all. For Danny
A car thief who boasted he would never be caught was today starting a three-year prison sentence after he was captured in a high-speed police chase. Leigh Peters, who has never passed his driving test, claimed he was doing more than 110mph in a stolen
Scoring a hundred against Lancashire ranks pretty highly among Chris Adams' pleasures in life. But his third in five innings against Sussex's old rivals at Old Trafford yesterday will have given him extra satisfaction. Lancashire were convinced they had
Schoolboy Ed Ellson had to sit an exam in isolation after he turned up wearing a skirt in protest at uniform rules. Teachers at Ringmer Community College, near Lewes, deemed Ed's black knee-length skirt too distracting and made him sit in a separate room
A Sussex firm has won a £30 million contract to train easyJet pilots. The seven-year deal for Burgess Hill training and technologies firm CAE, in Innovation Drive, will see airline recruits coming to the town for up to five weeks at a time. Managing director
Homeowners are bracing themselves for another rise in interest rates today. The Bank of England may increase them for a second consecutive month, to 4.5 per cent, to cool house price growth and consumer borrowing. But some economists predict it will wait
Insurance giant Norwich Union is to axe 700 jobs as part of its continuing plans to reduce costs. Most of the job losses are expected to be compulsory and will hit sites in Norwich, York, Bristol, Stevenage and Croydon. The company is also reducing the
A developer hopes to turn the controversial King Alfred redevelopment in Hove into a training ground for the next generation of builders. Karis Holdings wants at least ten per cent of the 450 people likely to be employed on the £220 million seafront development
Rapist doctor Robert Wells has been placed on suicide watch after beginning a 15-year jail term for drugging and sexually abusing young girls. Wells, 52, has been transferred to 955-inmate category B Bullingdon prison near Bicester, Oxfordshire, after
A man invited his best friend to stay at his house where he raped his seven-year-old daughter. Christopher Packham set up a webcam in his lounge to check his friend was asleep before carrying the little girl to his bedroom. Packham, 36, of South Coast
In the past two weeks, Big Brother's Kitten has become the most ridiculed woman in Britain. She burst into the house like a roaring lion, snarling abuse at the cameras - the worst kind of advert for all the causes she claims to represent. So when I met
Householders will have to live under the shadow of plans for a second runway at Gatwick for a further 15 years, an MP has claimed. The Government has placed the airport on the "subs' bench," with expansion taking place only if proposals to add an extra
New trains being introduced in Sussex are too heavy for the tracks. Safety experts have warned that the class 377 Electrostars, which weigh ten per cent more than the slam-door stock they are replacing, will wear the rails down more quickly. Network Rail
Just 17 overs were possible as Sussex's rain-ruined Championship match with Worcestershire finished in a draw. After rain had washed out the first three day's play, proceedings finally began at 12.30pm on the final day. Only 65 minutes were possible,
Sussex came agonisingly close to beginning their Championship defence with a coveted win over Surrey at The Oval. Having established a first innings lead of 189, they reduced Surrey to 88-7 second time around and were still favourites despite an eighth
Brighton station is to get new toilets after a campaign to improve them lasting more than six years. The loos, which are underground and have limited access have been labelled a disgrace by passengers. Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper has raised the
From a players' point of view there were four significant features of Sunday's victory against Somerset. Vital contributions from Goodwin, Kirtley and Wright were obvious but the atmosphere created by the crowd contributed covertly to the success. The
Trawling through the Sussex website's message board it has been interesting to note the growing voice of concern amongst the Sussex supporters. Amongst the sane balanced voices, there are the usual calls for radical team changes. Bring him and him in.
A rare day off on Monday was perfectly timed to enable us to watch the climax to the thrilling Test match at Lord's. England again paid attention to the winning formula they had worked out in the Caribbean - and what a fantastic debut it was for the Middlesex
During yet another rain break I had a conversation with one of the avid band of supporters who travel the length and breadth of the country to watch us play. The gentleman in question must have watched more hours of live county cricket than most and so
As the team embarks on a mini tour of England - we travel to Worcester, Durham and Northampton in the next fortnight - it may be a good time to reflect on a hectic start to the season. Sunday's win against Middlesex in the first National League game was
I was horrified to read that the police are trying to force their female officers to become gun-proficient, (The Argus, June 3). Evidently they have fallen for the Blairite, pro-USA nonsense that 'Terrorism' justifies this undemocratic escalation of armed
In response to Graham Burgess (Letters, May 31), it is now an offence under the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 to manufacture, sell, purchase, transfer or acquire an air weapon that uses a self-contained gas cartridge system. Anyone holding this type
The recent breakdown in the air traffic control system has caused concern about the proposed super fire control covering some eight counties. It is possible that smaller systems would work. I see no reason that there should not be a single unit for Sussex
I would like to respond to your article 'Worry at security staff cuts' (The Argus, June 4) which incorrectly suggested that Gatwick was reducing the number of security staff working at the airport. BAA is actually increasing the security workforce at
All the girls at James Watt College in Greenock, Scotland, would like to pay our respects to Danielle Billingham (aka Edwards) who was sadly taken from us in the A23 disaster. She was a good friend and classmate at our hairdressing course. We are still
A miserable five days in Worcester ended on a suitably sombre note for Sussex as they suffered their first defeat of the season in the totesport League. The Sharks looked to be pacing their pursuit of Worcestershire's 239-5 perfectly, but when the white
Chris Adams and Peter Moores had promised a long overdue improvement in Sussex's one-day performances and so far they are being true to their word. The Sharks began the new National League campaign with a comprehensive eight-wicket win at Lord's which
The Medlock Train must be remembered by hundreds of troops as it carried them from England to Calais, which was then (1945) bombed flat. I and my girlfriends had joined the YMCA as a means of getting abroad immediately after the war. We were to run canteens
I watched the D-Day programmes on the television and was moved to tears. Two people should never have been there - Blair and Hoon. What do they know about honour and sacrifice? Nothing. They haven't even got the courage to stand with our soldiers in Iraq
While everybody is interested in the news of the Second World War, remember the women at home who had to do men's jobs - fire watching at night and sleeping in air raid shelters, not knowing whether they would find their houses had been bombed, their
The D-Day commemoration programmes on television made compulsive viewing. This nation and Europe should be eternally grateful to all involved. The biggest sea-borne invasion in history was accomplished by persons in their twenties. Those who were spared
Perhaps readers would like to share the thoughts of an 81-year-old friend of mine. Visiting her on Monday it was obvious she had been crying. "Oh Judy!" she said, "what a lovely, emotional day I had on Sunday watching all the coverage of the D-Day programmes
A woman raffling her £250,000 home to raise money for a children's charity has had more than 1,000 entries in the first two weeks. Entrants pay £5 and have to describe in no more than 25 words why they deserve to win the house. Owner Ursula Dowd, 45,
Our grateful thanks to the team who planted the D-Day flower bed and flag beds in Easthill Park, Portslade. This park, with its children's playground and 'secret garden' oasis is a real pleasure to walk in. -BG Burgess, Portslade
I watched the D-Day anniversary on TV. It was very moving to see all those now-old soldiers make it back to the ceremony in France. As a child in the Second World War, I was in a building that was machine-gunned and bombed by a German aircraft. The fact
Danny and Richard Midgley are divided by 3,000 miles and united by sporting ambition. The brothers from Burgess Hill are preparing to head back to the United States to continue their education in the toughest basketball environment of them all. For Danny
Hundreds of D-Day veterans in Sussex paid a moving tribute to fallen colleagues and brought home the true cost of war (The Argus, June 7). Former members of the armed services remembered the 60th anniversary of the day 156,000 allied troops landed on
A car thief who boasted he would never be caught was today starting a three-year prison sentence after he was captured in a high-speed police chase. Leigh Peters, who has never passed his driving test, claimed he was doing more than 110mph in a stolen
Albion are hopeful of thrashing out new player deals over the next week. The Seagulls aim to complete a batch of summer signings and finalise contract offers with players who helped the club return to Division One. Chairman Dick Knight said: "It's all
The owners of the Palace Pier are being prosecuted after an accident on a roller coaster ride. Day-trippers on the pier-end Turbo Coaster were left dangling over a missing piece of track. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which began investigating
Householders will have to live under the shadow of plans for a second runway at Gatwick for a further 15 years, an MP has claimed. The Government has placed the airport on the "subs' bench," with expansion taking place only if proposals to add an extra
Insurance giant Norwich Union is to axe 700 jobs as part of its continuing plans to reduce costs. Most of the job losses are expected to be compulsory and will hit sites in Norwich, York, Bristol, Stevenage and Croydon. The company is also reducing the
A developer hopes to turn the controversial King Alfred redevelopment in Hove into a training ground for the next generation of builders. Karis Holdings wants at least ten per cent of the 450 people likely to be employed on the £220 million seafront development
Rapist doctor Robert Wells has been placed on suicide watch after beginning a 15-year jail term for drugging and sexually abusing young girls. Wells, 52, has been transferred to 955-inmate category B Bullingdon prison near Bicester, Oxfordshire, after
New trains being introduced in Sussex are too heavy for the tracks. Safety experts have warned that the class 377 Electrostars, which weigh ten per cent more than the slam-door stock they are replacing, will wear the rails down more quickly. Network Rail
Just 17 overs were possible as Sussex's rain-ruined Championship match with Worcestershire finished in a draw. After rain had washed out the first three day's play, proceedings finally began at 12.30pm on the final day. Only 65 minutes were possible,
Sussex ran into their usual trouble with the Law on the second day's play at Hove before Mushtaq Ahmed dragged them back into contention against Lancashire. Stuart Law scored an unbeaten 171, his fourth hundred against the county since switching from
