What is it that makes a cricket ground an attractive place to play and watch cricket?

Sunday's game at Derby was not one that had the Sussex players drooling with anticipation. A survey of county cricketers' least favourite grounds would reveal Derby high on the list.

It would be comfortably top of mine. This is despite Sussex's relative success on this ground in recent times. It was here, after all, that we had a ten-over thrash to win the second division one-day title in 1999 and a battling win on Sunday raised us two places in the table.

This is also despite various improvements made to the ground in the last few years.

A much-needed new pavilion and indoor school has been erected but it looks like a cross between a giant sauna and a nuclear power station. Indoor schools have never been objects of consummate beauty but this one is a real shocker.

The pavilion, meanwhile, is yet to be officially opened but the Derby players are already disappointed with it. They had planned to move out of their badly positioned and cramped dressing rooms and into the new pavilion which is behind the bowler's arm - a much better position from which to watch the game.

Having inspected the proposed dressing rooms, however, they discovered they are even smaller than their present ones and so they are having to stay put! The wooden-slatted, square-fronted new building adds little atmosphere to what is a fairly drab and open ground. This was such a contrast to our two previous away games, played at grounds that ooze character - Chelmsford and Canterbury.

For the spectators, the amenities and conveniences may be the most important factor determining a ground's regard. The players' facilities are universally good now and they therefore look for something else too.

It may be the attractiveness of the architecture. To hit a four and see it racing away towards the new grandstand at Lords, or the Pavilion at Trent Bridge, is a wonderful feeling - certainly better than seeing the ball rolling towards the uninspiring grey monotony at Edgbaston, or the vast emptiness of a half-full Old Trafford.

Similarly, the cathedral at Worcester, or Lumley Castle at Chester-Le-Street, lends sophistication and mood to the grounds they overlook.

It may be more subtle than that. Chelmsford, Taunton and Hove contain no obvious beauty, no sweeping statements of majesty, but each has an intimacy and individuality that makes them a joy to play at and probably to watch from. Chelmsford and Taunton are compact grounds. The short, straight boundaries make it feel like the crowd is almost on top of you.

It certainly must make the spectator feel more involved with play. Hove, of course, has the seaside atmosphere to sustain it. Whether it would be such a well-loved ground if the same set of buildings were uprooted to the Midlands and seagulls no longer whooped and wailed above them is a moot point.

With the money from Spen Cama's legacy and the plans the committee have for further improvements to the ground, Hove can only become a smarter and better arena. We just have to sort the playing side of things out!