Sussex has been a prominent cricket county since the 17th century and teams representing the county have generally been regarded as important or first-class. The earliest known move towards a permanent county organisation happened 17 June 1836 when a meeting in Brighton established a Sussex Cricket Fund to support county matches. It was from this organisation that Sussex County Cricket Club was formally constituted on 1 March 1839. The club played its initial first-class match against Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's on 10 & 11 June 1839. Sussex CCC is England's oldest county club, one of eighteen that play in the County Championship at first-class level. The player appointed club captain leads the team in all fixtures, except if unavailable, and the following 48 cricketers have held the post since formation of the county club in 1839.