We were inserted at Balcombe in their Cricket Week but we knew that we had enough to chase down 300. Numerous players were unavailable and AC had to call on two of the Under 16's (Tom Gallagher and George Maw) to help us out.

Josh Pratt (son of ex First team striker Martin Pratt) joined another schoolboy Connor "The Beast " Byrne in the team. Both Andy Newton and Matt King made a great effort to get to East Sussex in time for the start -- so did Sammy Davis. They all missed a top quality lunch at the Half Moon -- severaL pints went down before Tony "Boom Boom" Stuart was made captain.

Sitting on his right hand was Kempy -- he hadn't played for 40 years -- but the Harveys bitter was getting to him.

"I want to score more than one" said Kempy. So he was set a target of 5 runs by Boom Boom. We knew that this was an outside bet and even Newts wouldn't get involved. To be fair to Kempy -- he was in top form and I knew that today could be a day to remember.

It was hot and sticky just like Kathryn's chocolate brownies (K is TG's Mum) and we were disconsolate at having to field. Boom Boom set Kempy up at first slip telling The Beast to bowl a wide straight at Kempy -- everybody was "in" on the deal except Kempy. The ball thundered towards him --------- and he stopped it ---- shouting "oh gosh I didn't expect that."

This wakened him up but nobody could have expected what happened next -- George Maw steamed in from the pavilion end (and there were plenty of spectators) and bowled outside off stump -- the batsman slapped the ball through the slips for a certain boundary. I looked towards the hedgerows where the sparrows and Dunlins were chirping -- surely they would abrupt into the air as the ball cannoned into the greenery -- nothing happened because Big Kempy had made the "catch of the Century". The ball had gone past him when he stuck out his left hand and snaffled it.

The batsman never moved, thinking that he had added four to his total -- the keeper and slips looked towards the boundary and there was an air of mystification around the ground -- where was the ball?

Kempy never batted an eyelid -- the ball was in his pocket -- this was an unbelievable catch.

Balcombe were in all kinds of trouble against our attack and eventually reached 234 all out with Georgie getting two wickets -- so did Bingo and Ben Manners and James Greene. TG and Newts took good outfield catches and we were confident of chasing down the total.

The Beast reached his 50 in the sixth over with six sixes -- he blocked his first ball -- the second ended in an adjacent field. Once again he lost patience and it was left to Pratty and James Greene to take us near the finishing line but Bingo (once again) got us over the line with 7 wickets down. Matty smashed four sixes in 32 not out and our unbeaten reecord was maintained.

Kempy was in top gear by now and insisted that we went back to the Half Moon for "open mike night". Skipper Tony "Boom Boom" Stuart was the real star - he organised the game very well, everybody contributed to the win and he made 2 catches. Plus he watched Kempy and me drink several pints of Harveys while he nursed a bottle of lager.

Top day out -- and we won -- winning is a good habit and if you can win and enjoy yourself and be respectful to the oppo then life ain't too bad.

AND Kempy scored 9 -- bingo.