The first known cricket match arranged under the name of Roffey was played in May 1901 against Barns Green, a village some 5 miles from Horsham. The venue was a temporary ground, which is now the site of Kingsmead Nursing Home. Occasional matches were held during the next three years until the Roffey Cricket Club was formed in 1904, the inaugural club meeting was held in the Norfolk Arms.
The temporary ground, which was adjacent to the Norfolk Arms, was not totally suitable but continued to be used until 1908, when the Innes family offered the club the use of the present ground.
In 1932, the cricket field was left in trust by the Innes family for the use of the people of Roffey and in memory of Colonel Innes. The ground officially became The Innes Memorial Ground.
League cricket came to Roffey during the 1970s when the club joined the Arun Valley League. The club later went on to win the competition on five occasions before leaving to participate in the Sussex Invitation League in 1996. Roffey’s impressive rise through the ranks didn’t stop there; in 2001 the club joined the Sussex Cricket League and continues to compete in the league to this day.
Roffey now boasts the most successful 1st XI in the county across the last decade, having been crowned champions six times during this period. The club now runs four adult league sides, a women’s team, a Sunday friendly team and a youth section for cricketers aged from 9-16 years.
