SUSSEX CCC LUNCH

Yesterday I  attended the inaugural lunch of the Sussex Cricket Foundation Appeal. I have attended many such lunches for over 30 years and the format of welcome/comic speech/q & a/ games/ raffle/auction has little changed. It has the advantage of raising money for the Appeal but the disadvantage of its length putting off the very people who would donate most generously as they need to return to their work. My friend for example had to leave at 2, by which time he had not even eaten his main course, and I had to go not long after. The comedian/MC was the same as the evening of magic and the same material. One chap I know heard him at a St George Lunch so would have been entertained by him three times in 10 days. One pleasing aspect of the lunch was the Sussex team was all present and sat on various tables. We had young George Garton and Will Beer on ours.

Later I watched Middlesbrough’s game at Birmingham which ended in a 2-2 draw. This means if Brighton beat Derby on Monday they go to Middlesbrough only needing a point to win automatic promotion. Boro had a perfectly scored goal ruled offside which would have given them the win. If they miss out in the play-off there are a 120 million reasons why they will rue the referee’s error and they all begin with a £.