Ken Suttle

Ken Suttle was primarily a left-handed batsman but was also a useful slow left-arm bowler. His first-class career with Sussex lasted from 1949 to 1971. He played in 612 first-class matches. This included an unbroken sequence of 423 consecutive County Championship matches between 1954 and 1969, which is still the record number.[1]

Suttle was a quick-footed, unorthodox batsman, endlessly fidgeting at the crease between deliveries.[2] He made 30225 first-class runs at an average of 31.09, with 49 centuries, reaching 1000 runs in 17 successive seasons from 1953 to 1969.[2] In 1962 he scored more than 2000 runs in the County Championship, and made his highest score of 204 not out against Kent.[3] He took 266 wickets at 32.80, with best innings figures of 6 for 64 against Worcestershire in 1970.[4]

He played in 55 List A one-day matches, and was a member of the Sussex side which won the Gillette Cup in 1963 and 1964 (the first two years of the competition). He won the Man of the Match award in a quarter-final of the Gillette Cup in 1968, scoring 100 in a seven-run victory for Sussex over Northamptonshire.[5]

He toured the West Indies with England in 1953-54, but never played in a Test. He stands equal third with Les Berry in the list of players with most first-class runs not to have played a Test.[6]

After leaving Sussex he played for Suffolk for two seasons, ran an equipment shop, then coached at Christ's Hospital. He umpired a handful of first-class university matches in 1983.[2]

Suttle was educated at Worthing High School.[7] In the 1950s he played football as well as cricket. He made three first-team appearances as a winger for Brighton & Hove Albion FC in 1949.[2] He was player/manager of Arundel F.C. when they won consecutive Sussex County League Division One titles in the 1957/58 and 1958/59 seasons.

He died in 2005 while on holiday in Mauritius.[2]

• Ken Suttle at ESPNcricinfo