Sussex CCC: Ali Orr's Hampshire move defended amidst resignations

Ian Gould (right) officiated in his final match as an international umpire during the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Sussex chairman Jon Filby has defended coach Paul Farbrace's decision to allow batter Ali Orr to join Hampshire.

Orr, 22, departed Hove on Monday and is the latest of a string of home-grown players to switch counties.

Former England and Sussex players Ian Gould and Chris Adams subsequently resigned from backroom roles, citing Orr's departure as the "catalyst".

"It obviously is a vote of confidence in Paul Farbrace," Filby told BBC Radio Sussex.

"Tension exists between coaches and players at all times. That is probably one of the 'catalysts' that encouraged Ali to think the grass was greener elsewhere.

"He's [Farbrace] looking at what we are doing and the results in the County Championship improved significantly this year so we are moving in the right way."

From Arsenal to Middlesex, Sussex and a Cricket World Cup

Gould started his career in football with Arsenal as a goalkeeper before joining Middlesex and then taking up a career as an international umpire serving until the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

The former wicketkeeper held positions on both the Sussex board and cricket committee.

Adams captained Sussex to the County Championship title in 2003 before working as cricket manager at Surrey and eventually re-joining Sussex as a special advisor last year.

Filby said the pair had both been considering their roles for some time, rejecting the idea it was based on Orr's move.

"I don't think that is particularly true," Filby continued. "They have both been talking to me about their frustrations with their roles.

"Ian had told me that he was intending to resign a couple of months ago.

"The cricket decisions are made entirely by Paul Farbrace. I am very content that the right model for Sussex is to find the best person we can to run our cricket.

"When we found Paul, there was nobody that said we had found the wrong person.

"Ian helped us to move to a model where there is only one coach but he has found it frustrating not to be involved in all the decision making. So, he has decided that being a board member isn't for him.

"I certainly didn't want him to resign and encouraged him to stay."

Filby said Adams had been brought back to the club by chief executive Rob Andrew, who is leaving to join the England and Wales Cricket Board as managing director after seven years at Hove.

"It was a similar level of frustration with Chris, and I've been talking to him all about this all through the summer," Filby added.

"He didn't want to be associated with decisions that were not his decisions. Therefore, he too has decided this set up, where there's somebody clearly in charge of cricket and he makes all the decisions, isn't one he supports."

Chris Adams was a special advisor at Sussex and presented Australia star Steve Smith with his county cap this year

Ex-Sussex and England wicketkeeper Matt Prior was one of a number of former players on social media criticising the loss of Orr and the running of Sussex in recent years.

The county has also seen home-grown talents such as Ben Brown, Luke Wells, Delray Rawlins and George Garton depart in recent years.

Prior and fellow former England and Sussex player Alan Wells posted on social-media platform X, formerly known at Twitter, about their dissatisfaction following the departure of Orr, who averages 39 in first-class cricket.

"It's such a shame that so many think it's a money thing - it's not," Wells said. "I have coached and mentored Ali since he was nine years old.

"I find it very frustrating that a Sussex born and bred cricketer would leave a club that he loves."

'Sussex cricket has never been in better shape'

Former Sussex opener Chris Nash also posted: "To see a young player with stats like that to leave his home county with time on his contract is a concern and hopefully there's a clear explanation for it - otherwise it is not a good look."

Prior, who played for England between 2004 and 2014, posted: "Walls are closing in as too many people care too much about this club for this to continue."

He also alleged a number of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) had been signed at Sussex in recent years, and asked for answers on the recent management of the county from Filby.

The chairman replied to the posts from the former players: "I absolutely respect them and I'm very proud of the things they achieved for Sussex and beyond.

"I haven't spoke to Matt in a year. I'm really hopeful that Matt and I will be able to meet and have a conversation but we haven't done in recent times.

"I've been much closer to Chris [Adams] over the last year and he sent me a message this morning of absolute support for my role as chair.

"I'm very confident that we will find the right way for Chris to be involved in Sussex cricket.

"I'm really sorry Ali is leaving - I share their disappointment. That isn't at all what I wanted to happen but Ali has decided he wants to go and Paul has decided it's the right thing for Sussex and it's my job to support that.

"It's our intention to build a squad of young, talented Sussex cricketers. I still believe we are on track to do that."

On criticism in general of Sussex on social media, Filby concluded: "I've stopped reading social media, I am aware of (the criticism) but it's ill informed.

"Sussex cricket has never been in better shape than it is now."