And now for something completely different

A nice little break from the old routine today as I attended my third annual 364 Club Lunch at Headingley Cricket Ground.

Held in honour of the late, great Yorkshire and England batman Sir Len Hutton and his legendary innings of 364 which remains the highest ever score by an Englishman in Test cricket, the guest list is pretty much a who's who of Yorkshire cricket and a privilege for someone like me to be part of.

So why was I, I hear you cry?

To cut a long story short, almost three years ago I was deputising for someone much more important than myself at a book launch and was queuing up to get several copies signed by the now also late but equally great Fred Trueman.

Behind me was a distinguished looking gentleman by the name of Colin Slater who I soon discovered was the voice of sport on BBC Radio Nottingham and has been for more than 50 years.

Hearing my accent, he was curious as to my interest in Fred Trueman and cricket in general. Explaining that I was only there as a poor substitute for someone else, I went on to emphasise that I was also a huge cricket fan in my own right and a fully paid-up Yorkshire member.

In an act of supreme kindness, he mentioned the 364 Club Lunch and suggested that I come along the following year as his guest. Several months later he was back in touch and soon we were sitting together at the event which featured Trueman's ex-Yorkshire teammate Mike Cowan as the speaker.

Last year, along with me, he brought John Kettley (Is a Weatherman) to hear Roy Hattersley make the main speech.

Today, with Mr Kettley on holiday (he sent me an e-mail to say how sorry he was he couldn't be there - I loved that!) it was just the two of us (plus 200 plus others) to see ex-MCC Chief Executive and current Surrey Chairman Roger Knight followed by Dom Antony Such, a Benedictine Monk fond of a drink and a flutter. Mr Knight was good, Father Such - dressed in his habit - was magnificent.

On the other side of me from Colin was the Reverend Max Wigley, Chaplain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. And, yes, I did watch my language.

Before proceedings began, I ran into Colin's friend and mine, ex-umpire Dickie Bird; Colin has known Dickie for years and, until recently, I was a Trustee of the Dickie Bird Foundation.

So, all in all, a quite bizarre few hours but great fun.

But now back to the present - it's time for Jamie's bath.