TICKETS for Cumberland Cricket Club's dinner to celebrate 50 years of playing Minor Counties cricket are going fast.

Further details of the event's programme have been revealed, including the guest speaker who will be Lancashire CC coach Mike Watkinson.

The Somerset first-team squad, among them of course England's batter Marcus Trescothick, are attending to support their beneficiary Mike Burns, the former Netherfield and Cumberland player.

Norman Prince from the Houghton Weavers in the comedian and tenor John Christos will be singing.

Also invited is 87-year-old Jimmy Denver from Whitehaven, the oldest Cumberland player and the wicket-keeper for the first of the county's Minor Counties fixtures against Yorkshire Seconds back in May 1955.

In the Yorkshire XI that day were Dickie Bird, Jimmy Binks and Doug Padgett, who all graduated to Yorkshire's First XI.

The Second World War robbed Denver of the opportunity of a first-class career with Lancashire. He had been a successful trialillist when 21 in 1939 and promised a contract, but was considered to be too old when cricket resumed after hostilities in 1946.

Tickets for the dinner, which is for both men and women, priced £25 and are available by ringing Ian Heath on 01539 560141.