Mark Robinson returns to Sussex as director of cricket on part-time basis

Mark Robinson has been appointed director of cricket at Sussex on a part-time basis, returning to Hove in an administrative capacity. The 59-year-old will combine the Sussex role with his ongoing position at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA), where he has been working since leaving Warwickshire in early 2025.

The appointment comes weeks after Paul Farbrace opted to take up a full-time director of cricket role at Lancashire, creating the vacancy at Sussex. Matt Walker has since arrived to take charge of the Sussex first team, while Robinson steps into the broader administrative brief.

Sussex are navigating a period of financial difficulty. The club recorded a trading loss of £1.3 million in 2025 and were placed under special measures earlier in 2026. As a consequence, Sussex were docked 12 County Championship points and one point each from the two white-ball competitions. Interim chief executive Alex Paterson has been overseeing the club’s recovery, with Beth Barrett-Wild named as the new chief executive, a role she is set to take over from January 1, 2027.

“Mark knows Sussex Cricket inside out having successfully played and coached here over more than 15 years, including winning the County Championship twice,” said Paterson as quoted by Cricinfo.

The part-time structure of Robinson’s appointment at Sussex has been designed specifically to allow him to maintain his commitment at BACA.

“The flexibility of my role also allows me still to be hands on at BACA. So many of our cricket students come from all over the county and show such dedication, some leaving as early as 6.30am, many catching two trains to get in to school to follow their dreams. It’s lovely, and means a lot to me, that I can continue to help influence the next generation of male and female cricketers for both the school and at Sussex,” said Robinson.

What does Robinson bring back to Sussex?

Robinson first joined Sussex as a player in 1997, beginning an association with the club that has spanned nearly three decades across playing and coaching roles. He succeeded Peter Moores as head coach and guided Sussex to back-to-back County Championship title wins in 2006 and 2007, having taken over in 2005 and held the head coach position through to 2015.

After his time at Hove, Robinson took charge of England Women in 2015 and led the side to World Cup success in 2017, adding an international trophy to his domestic honours. He then moved to Warwickshire, where he served as head coach and oversaw the county’s Bob Willis Trophy triumph in 2021 as well as their County Championship title that same year, before departing Edgbaston in early 2025.

“I’m delighted to be back at Hove in a position where I can play my part in helping Sussex continue to be one of the most respected clubs in the country. We have taken some hits in the last year and as a club have some work still to be done, and I am determined to contribute to ensure a bright future here at Sussex,” said Robinson.

The dual arrangement means Robinson will contribute to Sussex’s cricket operations at the senior level while continuing grassroots development work through the academy. With Barrett-Wild set to formally assume the chief executive position at the start of 2027, Robinson’s arrival provides the club with experienced cricket leadership during a transitional administrative period.