Sussex have been hit with a point penalty across men's domestic competitions this summer, after entering into a three-year agreement with the ECB following incurring significant financial losses.
The county will be subject to an immediate points deduction worth 50 per cent of the maximum points available for one game in each men's county competition (inclusive of bonus points) for the 2026 season. For the County Championship, where there are 16 points available for a win as well as eight bonus points on offer, Sussex will start the season on negative 12 points. They will also lose two points each in the men's One Day Cup and men's T20 Blast.
The points deductions are part of several penalties which have been applied to Sussex after they approached the ECB for financial support following significant financial losses in the most recent financial year. It was reported last week that Sussex had been placed in special measures by the ECB due to alleged financial mismanagement and breaches of the ECB's sustainability regulations.
The three-year agreement Sussex have now signed with the ECB allows them to access exceptional funding, including a structured loan from the governing body, which is repayable in full by January 31, 2029. Sussex will also be subject to governance reforms, with the ECB having the ability to attend Sussex board and sub-committee meetings, as well as restrictions on men's player salary costs for the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Sussex suffer second County Championship points deduction in three years
This is the second time Sussex have had points deducted from their County Championship total in the last three years. In 2023, the side was docked 12 points after receiving four fixed penalties in one season. All four of those penalties were handed down for offences on the field, two of which came in the same game late in the season. Sussex were chasing promotion in 2023, and ultimately finished in third place in Division Two, 17 points off a promotion spot.
After missing promotion in 2023, Sussex won the Division Two Championship in 2024, and were promoted to Division One. They finished in fourth place in the competition last year, also finishing mid-table in the One Day Cup and T20 Blast.
Speaking to BBC Sussex last week, men's head coach Paul Farbrace said: "There's no point whinging about it [points penalty], we've got to hold our hands up and say we've obviously made mistakes.
"Therefore we've got to own it and deal with it and find the best way to own whatever comes our way. I chatted to the players over the last three or four weeks and made sure that they're up to speed. The players, the coaching staff, the medical team - I've kept them up to date because it's the right thing to do."
Sussex begin their Championship campaign against Leicestershire at Grace Road on April 3.
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