HEWITT'S HISTORY FILES

The captain '“ probably a First World War veteran '“ was the man who brought the cream of the Sussex County Cricket Club team to the small village of Watersfield during the interwar years.

Richard Booker, who lives in Pulborough, recalls that his father and grandfather lived in the village during the 1920s and 1930s.

And thanks to the good captain, they played cricket in some unusual circumstances.

Mr Booker admits he knows very little about Head, save to say he was a great advocate of Sunday cricket.

"Captain Head quickly organised a local team and created a pitch on which to play. In finding suitable fixtures he turned to his network of friends within the world of cricket, who were numerous and very well connected."

It wasn't long before the youth of Watersfield became accustomed to turning out for their Sunday matches to face friendly and good-natured fire from the pick of the Sussex county team, many of whom also played for England.

The atmosphere on these occasions was so congenial that it once induced a wag from the Sussex team to send down an orange instead of a cricket ball to the bemused batsman.

On his death, Capt Head bequeathed the playing field to the village and it is still in use today.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette September 19