Ben Brown is a bit too young to remember the great Colwyn Bay fiasco.

He was only 11 when Glamorgan re-wrote their record book against Sussex.

But the current skipper has heard about it. Of course he has.

He knows a fair bit about what happened in the Championship fixture between Glamorgan and Sussex up on the North Wales coast 17 years ago almost to the day.

Brown might not be able to recite precise stats from that historic fixture. But he has heard the tales passed down while growing up at Hove within what these days is often referred to as the Sussex family.

Which is why it might be just a bit more special if the county can kick off their promotion run-in with a win back in Penrhyn Avenue some time this week.

Sussex have five to play in the quest for second place in division two of the Specsavers County Championship and that sequence kicks off in Wales tomorrow.

Head coach Mark Davis set them a target of four wins from their last six matches and they duly delivered by beating Worcestershire in the first of those.

Brown jokes that the target now is five wins from five.

And he also knows why it would be rather special to change the definition of “Colwyn Bay” in the unofficial dictionary of Sussex cricket.

“There is a famous game that people talk about when Sussex went for over 700 or something,” he said.

“(Former coach) Mark Robinson used to talk about it because his first ball landed on the bank.

“I know about it. They used to speak about it a lot and we used to take the Mickey out of the coach for getting hit on to the bank first ball. But that was years ago.”

Indeed it was. But even a mention of Colwyn Bay in passing brings a rueful smile to the lips of people like Davis, who was playing back then.

Sussex skipper Chris Adams won the toss, put Glamorgan in and saw Steve James and Matthew Elliott put on 374 for the first wicket.

Elliott was first out, for 177, and James went to make an unbeaten 309 as Glamorgan declared on 718-3.

Seventeen years on, the total, the first-wicket stand and James’ individual score all remain county records for Glamorgan.

Sussex have never been back to that outpost of Glamorgan cricket, 180 miles from Cardiff up in Conwy County.

Brown himself has never played there. But he expects the county to be well prepared.

He said: “We hear it is a relatively flat wicket at times. I think you take up a squad who can play in any conditions. That was what we had to do at Worcester. We had to take quite a few players up to New Road.

“You need two spinners in case it’s a turning wicket and we also have the luxury of pace. We will take up a good-sized squad so we are ready for any conditions.”

Davis expects Chris Nash to be declared fit after tweaking his hamstring in the final T20 fixture against Essex eight days ago.

He said: “I remember the last time we were at Colwyn Bay but it was many moons ago. I’ll have to do my homework on the wicket now.

“I’ll get Tony Cottey on the case and see what he thinks about the pitch. I’ve got my scouts up there but we will deal with that when we get there.”

Back in 2000, Adams and Umer Rashid both made centuries in the Sussex reply but they lost by an innings and 60 runs.

Brown will hope to get the big decisions right this time – but he should be aware it is not always easy.

It is largely forgotten now but, back in 2000, Glamorgan skipper Michael Powell took a look at the wicket on that late-August morning and decided to put Sussex in if he got the chance.

It was probably the best toss he ever lost.

James later revealed: “The pitch looked green. Sussex won the toss and put us in first but the pitch had dried quicker than we’d thought and it played well.”