There are times when it's best to get the embarrassment over and say sorry as quickly as possible. Today is one of those days.

Our report of the Nottinghamshire versus Durham cricket match has been printed in reverse. It looks like a foreign language but it's in English if it's held up to a mirror.

I actually shouted across the newsroom "Howzat happened?" before I realised the irony of my first word. There was a third word in between but it's probably best to gloss over it.

The page was proof-read as normal but it seems that a button was inadvertently pressed at the point of transmission to our print centre with the result that all the text has appeared backwards.

Why there needs to be a button that reverses text is beyond me but I'm sure there's a logic to it somewhere.

I can only sincerely apologise to our readers - particularly those who follow Durham.

I guess we've been bowled a googly and caught at silly mid-off after a reverse sweep.