In 1990, North made a single Youth One Day International appearance for England Young Cricketers against Pakistan Young Cricketers.[1] Prior to this, North had made his first-class debut for Sussex against Kent in the 1990 County Championship. He made 22 further first-class appearances for the county, the last of which came against Essex in the 1993 County Championship.[2] An all-rounder, North scored a total of 513 runs in his 23 first-class appearances, which came at an average of 20.52, with a high score of 114.[3] This score, which was his only first-class century, came against Essex in his final first-class match.[4] With the ball, he took 44 wickets at a bowling average of 35.84, with best figures of 4/47.[5]
North made his debut in List A cricket for the county in his debut season, against Middlesex in the Benson & Hedges Cup. Used more frequently as a one-day player, he made 48 further List A appearances for the county, the last of which came against Warwickshire in the 1995 AXA Equity & Law League.[6] In his 49 List A appearances for the county, he scored a total of 440 runs at an average of 12.94, with a high score of 56.[7] This score was his only List A half century and came against Durham in 1992.[8] With the ball, he took 29 wickets at an average of 38.17, with best figures of 3/24.[9]
With the emergence of all-rounder Robin Martin-Jenkins in 1995, North's opportunities at Sussex, which in his latter season with the county had become limited, became more so with Martin-Jenkins' emergence. He left Sussex at the end of the 1995 season, making subsequent appearances in Second XI cricket for Surrey, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire,[10] but was unable to secure contracts with any.