CRICKET: Tony Warrington, one of the county's most prolific run scorers, will captain a Suffolk XI against his old club Browns – who are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

CRICKET

TONY Warrington, one of the county's most prolific run scorers, will captain a Suffolk XI against his old club Browns – who are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Browns are holding a cricket week at Rushmere Sports Club, which will be rounded off by the visit of a Suffolk XI next Friday, 11.30am start.

Warrington played for Browns for the best part of two decades.

As a 15-year-old he made the first of 39 centuries he scored for the club and later in his career went on to complete 100 tons while at Bury St Edmunds.

He made his county debut in 1965 and went on to score more than 7,000 runs, but his place will always be assured in Browns' history.

Warrington has got together a Suffolk XI he describes as the "past, present and future of the county".

It includes two other former Browns players in Kevin Brooks, the current Suffolk director of cricket, and Chris Swallow, the recently-appointed captain of Clacton.

Subject to change, the Suffolk XI will be: Tony Warrington, Andy Squire, Tristin Jervis, Matt Catley, Dick Bond, Chris Swallow, Michael Elliott, Paul King, Kevin Brooks, Colin Graham plus a wicketkeeper to be announced.

Browns will be led by first team skipper Martyn Kidd and will also include Paul "Digger" Crane who opened the batting with Warrington on a regular basis in the 1970s.

"Digger" has been at the club for 46 years and still plays regularly in the club's third team.

The Browns team is: Martyn Kidd, Charlie Sadler, Brendan Meagher, Joe Lander, John Manning, Robert Manning, Tim Debenham, Martin Hackney, Ed Flather, Paul Crane and Neal Manning.

Browns' anniversary has certainly been over-shadowed by the untimely death of Richard Robinson in March at the age of 51. A few weeks later Browns lost two more former players in Colin Burman and Cliff Howlett.

Next Thursday there will be a memorial match for "Robbo", a legend in Suffolk sporting circles.

Two of his closest friends, Allan Collins and Terry Bailey, have got together a side comprising mainly of ex-Browns captains and players to play against the host club.

This match also starts at 11.30am as does Tuesday's match against Frinton.

The cricket week starts on Monday at 5pm when a combined Browns Under-13 and 15 side take on their counterparts from Ipswich & East Suffolk.

The other match on Wednesday is at 2pm against the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Over-50s.

Spectators are welcome all week and a bar and refreshments will be available. The club would like to see as many former players as possible as they hope for five days of uninterrupted cricket.

This year is particularly special for Keith Croton, this year's president, who played in the club's very first match 50 years ago.

A former captain, Keith has held every post at the club and devotes much of his time to looking after the square at Rushmere Sports Club.

A 32-page handbook has been produced to celebrate Browns' 50th anniversary. This will be on sale during the cricket week, priced £3.

Tolly Cobbold, joint owners of Rushmere Sports Club, has produced an anniversary draught bitter to mark the club's anniversary.