Sussex have rejoined the top tier of the Vitality County Championship with perfect timing.

Now can they bring back some great memories by winning a title?

Paul Farbrace’s already-promoted side take on Middlesex at Hove from today (10.30am) looking for four points to secure the second division crown.

Middlesex themselves need a win if they are to go up.

Amid the delight and, as Farbrace has admitted, relief at promotion, there appears to be concern for some who follow them that Sussex will face a tough task in division one next season.

True, they may well lose more games and win fewer than they have in this increasingly impressive season, in which they have won their last three fixtures by an innings.

But, equally, division two has now served its purpose for their players.

The timing to further and develop in the top tier could not be better.

Tom Haines, Jack Carson, James Coles, Tom Clark, Henry Crocombe and maybe others would be treading water now if they were to stay in the second division.

That lower level has served them well and been too much of a test at times.

But they have now passed that test. Their development will demand top-tier county cricket – sink or swim.

Equally, Daniel Hughes has come to England for the first time and had a good look at what county cricket is all about.

He needs to be playing in the top division – and Sussex have already nailed him down for the 2025 campaign.

There may well also be some shrewd recruitment this winter.

So can they finish the job and bring back some memories of the glory days?

It is 21 years now since supporters queued from 8am to witness the day the county won the Championship’s first division for the first time, by reaching the required number of batting bonus points against Leicestershire at Hove.

Since the day Christopher Martin-Jenkins, whose son Robin was in the team, arrived in what was a busy press box and carefully placed a bottle of Champagne next to a half-drunk pint of milk and possibly someone’s sandwiches in the old fridge, ready for the great moment.

Supporters milled around at lunch, when the title was just a few runs away, savouring the anticipation of what was to follow.

Then, after resumption, and as the run-scoring stalled for a few minutes, amid the deckchairs and fans sitting on the grass came a lone voice moaning “Come on Sussex!” like it was the last day of a dull draw.

And then Murray Goodwin pulled a four towards the old pavilion and play was halted while Champagne was taken to the middle, Sussex By The Sea was played and the team did a lap of honour.

The next few days will not be quite like that although, if the job is completed, there will be a trophy presentation at the end of the match.

But it is all a step in the right direction.

One of the great things about that team of two decades ago was that it had players who were of international quality but were not playing international cricket at the time – like Goodwin, Mushtaq Ahmed, Chris Adams, James Kirtley and Matt Prior.

And others who were as good as you are going to get in county cricket without being internationals - like Jason Lewry, Richard Montgomerie and Martin-Jenkins.

The class of 2024 going into 2025 is packed with young talent and enough more senior players of the right type.

The time to move up is now.