Sussex CCC Revolution and Skullduggery: Reflections on the Past
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As the British film industry bemoan that too many up and coming actors are public school educated, cricket owes a huge debt of
gratitude to such an education, none more so than Sussex CCC whom without two old boys from Harrow, it is unlikely the legendary
Members revolt in 1997 would ever have succeeded along with the ensuing decade of unparalleled success.
Forget Benedict Cumberbatch, think instead of Tony Pigott and Robin Marlar. Both Harrow-educated, their public school airs which some
dismiss as privileged arrogance, initiated Sussex to their glory days of the noughties.
Nicknamed Lester and Snarler, the two set about rebuilding Sussex CCC in a phoenix frenzy once the old hierarchy had been overthrown
at the ‘Grand Hotel’ in March 1997. This Members’ revolt was orchestrated by Tony Pigott. He was supported by a small consortium including
the Club’s present Chairman Jim May.
The Harrow days of T.A.M Pigott and Robin Marlar
Pigott called on Marlar for help not because of his previous connection with the Club but because Tony’s father, T.A.M Pigott, was a close
school-friend and had played in the Harrow 1st XI with him. In fact, ‘Tam’ was an excellent opening bat who regularly scored 40 or more runs
whilst Marlar was regularly taking four to five wickets a match. Some suggest Marlar and ‘Tam’ were the backbone to the successful Harrovian
cricket team of the late 1940s.
Thanks to this old boy network, the revolution was set. Pigott minor was more the heart and Marlar major the outspoken brawn. In a delightful
article written by Adam Szreter for ‘The Independent‘ in 1997 the engaging Marlar is quoted: “The whole thing (Sussex ccc) was rotten, but it was
so easy for someone of my background to repair." (Marlar was a business consultant before founding an International headhunter firm). Yet, when
the call came, Marlar was recovering from a serious hip operation. "I was quite ill, nearly snuffed it, so they tell me," he recounted.
For Marlar the final straw had come in November ’96 when Danny Law, a promising young all-rounder of whom he had particularly high hopes, left
Sussex to join Essex. For many South Coast supporters, Sussex on and off the field were an embarrassing shambles and much to the relief of Marlar,
the 57-year-old club secretary, Nigel Betts, last spotted baring his ‘derriere’ for the magazine ‘British Naturism’, was sacked.
Pigott was duly installed as the Club CEO and Marlar as Chairman.
It was Pigott who persuaded Chris Adams to join. It was Pigott who chose Peter Moores as the new Club Coach. It was Marlar who persuaded James
Kirtley not to leave the club and it was Marlar who persuaded Pigott, early on his Sussex career, not to leave for Warwickshire.
In typical endearing Snarler-speak he stated in 1997: "One of the things I've been railing against for years is the complete failure of cricketing
establishments to organise themselves properly, including Lord's." He continued, "What we've done (at Sussex) is put in the kind of management
structure that any consultant would do in a minute. It's blindingly obvious and so simple. The thing's got to be run as an executive body.”
Marlar mellowed, "The first little problem we've got is the library, which is in the best office on the County Ground. The cricket office is in a Portakabin
behind a sightscreen, without windows and facing the wrong way. Facing a block of flats. The cricket office! What's the bloody club for? For playing
cricket. So Tony Pigott said we're going to move the cricket office and I said go ahead, go for it.
"The chief librarian, who is a lovely man and does a wonderful job, couldn't handle it and resigned. We'll make him a vice-president because he
deserves it, a very important servant of the club."
Perhaps, the tragic figure of this revolution was Pigott. It all went pete tong when he brought in the former Australian cricketer Dave Gilbert as his
number 2. They had been friends at Surrey CCC after Gilbert was appointed cricket manager and Pigott coached the county 2nd XI.
A Greek Tragedy
The ‘heart’ was easily overcome by the brash cold Aussie. Gilbert’s nickname, Lizard, was apt and he saw ‘Lester’ as an insect ready to be gobbled up.
He dismissed Pigott with a swish of his tongue by describing him as “a lovable rogue” whose “spending was irrational and largely unaccountable.” Gilbert
went on to say, “I was getting increasingly fed up clearing up the wreckage.” And his final lunge, “It was very unfair on Tony to give him a job which he
was entirely unsuited.”
This backstabbing, as some perceived it, is well documented in Bruce Talbot and Paul Weaver’s excellent book ‘The Longest Journey’. The Club were
hemorrhaging money and Gilbert blamed Pigott. The former revolutionary countered, “From the moment I appointed him, David told me he didn’t want
the job of CEO, but as time wore on I felt he was undermining me.” He continued, “Everything I did was for the good of Sussex cricket, but I’m not sure
David did.”
Two years after being the Club hero and soon after Sussex were promoted to Division 1, Pigott left citing ‘personal reasons’ and made the five mile trip
north to Hurstpierpoint where, licking his wounds, took over and ran the ‘New Inn’. Many a Sussex supporter frequented the pub to discuss cricketing
affairs over the bar counter.
In 2005, Pigott then joined the ECB as a pitch liaison officer, referee and umpire inspector and observer, and today he is one of the Board’s most respected
employees. In 2012, Pigott also became sales and marketing director of ‘Club Turf Cricket Ltd’, specialists in artificial pitches.
Gilbert left Sussex CCC in 2001 and returned to Australia to become CEO of the ‘New South Wales Cricket Association’ until he resigned in 2013 after his damaging
spat with Brett Lee. If there is any karmic retribution for Pigott, Gilbert presently resides in the wilderness as he contemplates his next move.
www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/brett-lee-calling-for-cricket-nsw-ceo-david-gilberts-head-was-right-20140104-30anq.htmlMeanwhile, Harrow boasts a number of cricketing luminaries today including Nick Compton, Gary Ballance and Sam Northeast.
Harrow Old Boy Gary Ballance
Finally, it is only apt for the likable Marlar to have the final say. Of his many outspoken views on cricket this one is a particular favourite. Referring to the structure
of the game which, according to Marlar, is of only secondary importance, he said in 1997: "You could play a whole concerto on the new ideas, it's just that every now
and again one of them becomes politically correct. This latest one, two divisions, is absolute bunk."
