In September 2003, Sussex Cricket Club won their first County Championship in 164 years and this achievement is celebrated by Mark Brailsford in a one-man show written and performed by him.

Brailsford has created and brought to life the character, Sam Smith (named after his father’s second favourite brewery – no prizes for guessing the name of the local first choice). Sam’s love of watching cricket is due to his father introducing him to the game. Sadly dad died just before the historic 2003 season and for this reason Sam gets swept up in fervour of the club’s progress. What starts as a journey on his dad’s behalf becomes a personal obsession to see every game by the escalating use of his credit card.

Within the framework of describing the highlights and low points of the season, Brailsford has Sam coping with his wife’s pregnancy – the birth coinciding with the deciding day of the championship - as well as delivering a potted history of the club aided by mock newsreels. The legends of the past mingle with shots of the modern heroes of the 2003 team including Mushtaq Ahmed (Mushy) whose phenomenal bowling played a large part in the club’s victory.

Brailsford worked hard as he introduced us to the usual suspects he watched the games with and the camp PA announcer. His humour though provoked more smiles than gutsy laughter with bits of his material falling flat. I liked his gag about selling his mother-in-law – she who must be eBayed!