Cricketers everywhere will appreciate that even when 65 years old, much scarred and finally about to call "Over", a batsman takes unkindly to being given LBW for one run by an umpire known as Sicknote whilst a good stride down the wicket.

Thus Norman Sturman's reluctant return to the hut on Saturday, crash hat dragging a disconsolate furrow along the outfield, was accompanied by the sort of closing remarks that can't possibly be recorded here - you couldn't even print his body language.

Still, he'd earlier claimed 4-30 against the league leaders - and the old lad's had a hell of an innings, nonetheless.

Norman's been playing village cricket for 50 years, the last 35 at Haughton, Darlington, where on Sunday the Haughton Old Boys played the Darlington and District League Old Boys (captained by our old friend the Demon Donkey Dropper of Eryholme) in his great honour.

Neither the column (Northern Leaguing) nor our photographer (Redcar racing) could make it. We caught instead his unwilling exit from Saturday's match - and afterwards, as they say, at the Highland Laddie.

He has "retired" before, or sworn to, described as long back as 1986 as a "wily veteran". This time it's in writing, like the book of Haughton Memories which he's researched, written, published in a too-modest limited edition of 40 - apostrophes scattered like a late slogging field - and still forgotten to mention the streakers.

Two of them came in one gate, ran new ball naked across to the other, vanished into nothingness and made the front page of the Echo in the days when such takings off had marginally more novelty.

"I didn't recognise them with their clothes off" said Brian Dobinson, skipper at the time, and in Haughton they've never let him forget it.

Norman had first played for Hinderwell, near Whitby, as a 15-year-old, summoned for his debut at 58-9, undefeated on 29 when the innings ended on 108 and dropped when the old men returned the following week.

He'd also played football for North Skelton, Billingham Synthonia and Whitby, had trials with Sheffield Wednesday, broke his leg in 12 places playing army football, which explains why sometimes he's still not sure where his feet are.

Principally he's been a quick bowler, over 1600 wickets for Haughton and a bad season, he says - doubtless flippantly - if he didn't put someone in hospital.

There was even, insists the book, a telegram from the Queen. "Pack it up, you owld bugger" it said.

The club was formed around 1876, has graced the same field in Great Burdon for 115 years, reached the National Village Cup regional final in 1985 after David Barber smote 188 against Tantobie - still the competition's fifth highest score.

When he was 16, mind, the ball hit the wicket without dislodging the stumps. Dave, too, was there to re-tell the tale on Sunday.

The book records fire and theft, success and failure - twin impostors, didn't someone once observe? - and every first team man with whom he'd played at Haughton. Colin Wilkinson, he concludes, is the greatest of all.

It also notes that local solicitor Arthur Feetham remembered in his will two sports clubs of which he was president. Haughton Cricket Club were left £25, Darlington Rugby Club were left 20 acres of land and eventually sold them for £3m.

On Saturday, Spennithorne down from Wensleydale, Norman took his seasonal wicket tally to 20 at just over 13, inched his batting aggregate to 99 before Sicknote's febrile finger indicated an early departure.

Still, he on the boundary at the end to congratulate the successful skipper, if not - another Yorkshireman, of course - to stand them all a drink in the Laddie.

Should finally he retire, there'll be more time to complete his autobiography, already well under way. "This time" said the wily veteran, "I might even remember about the streakers."

Same town, different sport, Paul Hodgson's also written a book. It's an account of his devotion to the Quakers, a passion which couldn't have had a worse start.

Paul was just seven when, January 6 1973, he watched his first Feethams match - a 7-0 home defeat by Southport and an unforgettable debut for 17-year-old Shildon lad Phil Owers.

"He was in no way to blame for the disgraceful shambles, but looked close to tears as he was applauded down the tunnel" the Echo reported, beneath a headline that the club could fold before the end of the season.

Because of a flu outbreak, the Quakers' previous game had been on December 23 - another 7-0 defeat, at Bradford City.

George Tait was chairman, Ralph Brand the fifth manager in a year, the Darlington crowd only above 1,000 because of an influx of Southport fans.

Former Newcastle and Boro man Arthur Horsfield was the country's leading scorer, with Charlton, Bobby Veart scored a last-minute winner for resurgent Hartlepool, Ray Wilkie had resigned after three seasons as manager of Durham City and Tommy Docherty been appointed boss of Manchester United.

Quakers' supporters may care to remember before the end of the column, however, the identity of the 'keeper in the first match.

"I'd pestered my mother for ages to take me to a Darlington game" says Paul.

"My abiding memory was wondering what the hell I'd done it for."

He remained faithful, nonetheless, a familiar figure undaunted despite spending much of his time in a wheelchair - a legacy of infant meningitis.

The book's a highly entertaining account of a love affair, and one or two romances, a chronicle of highs, lows, smacks in the mouth and a rather surprising encounter whilst having a bath at the Percy Hedley school in Newcastle.

l Flipper's Side is available (£7 99) from local bookshops or from Paul Hodgson on 07930 274704.

Phil Owers, seemingly grey haired almost from that debut day, is also mentioned in Harry Pearson's classic The Far Corner - "A safe shot stopper, but looked more like a man you'd buy insurance off than a goalkeeper".

It was an account of Shildon v Durham City in 1993, a match in which Colin Blackburn - one match for Middlesbrough in 1980, long familiar round the Northern League - was said to have "disappeared from the game so completely that rumours circulated he'd run off to become a Jehovah's Witness."

Football days over, Colin's still a high profile opener for Barningham in the Darlington and District Cricket League - another half century on Saturday. Phil Owers sticks to golf.

An up and down start to the football season, we hear, for our old friends at Ferryhill Athletic.

Though all concerned turned up at the Dean and Chapter ground on Saturday, the ref - on his first game in the Wearside League middle - decided that the pitch was too uneven (a euphemism, apparently) to be played upon.

Teams, officials and supporters decamped a mile and a half to the Mainsforth ground, kicking off 40 minutes late. Ferryhill, the famous old Darlington Road ground long abandoned, beat Ryhope CW 5-2.

The Over 40s League kicked off on Saturday, too, Darlington Cleveland Bridge goalkeeper so keen to be back in the action that he scored twice - once from the spot - in the 5-1 win over Houghton Mill. The goalie is now leading scorer.

Still no confirmation that Annfield Plain lad Jack Hather played - like Allan Ball and Joe Baker - for the Scottish League (Backtrack, Friday).

Martin Birtle in Billingham points out, however, that in 1959 the Football League sought the Scottish FA's view on playing Scots in a League X1.

They didn't object. The first Scots to wear the white shirt of the Football League were Denis Law and Dave Mackay.