Brighton Buccaneers celebrate their 40th anniversary this weekend with the re-creation of one of the biggest games in their history.

The Bucs face the US Air Force in the Rawlings National League at Pavilion Field, Waterhall, on Sunday (11.00).

The opposition have been chosen by the league to boost Brighton's celebrations.

In 1967, the Bucs took on the US Air Force in Preston Park in a match attended by 5,000 people.

This contest came four years after the Bucs had been formed and the attendance has not been matched since.

Baseball in Brighton goes back a lot longer.

Head coach Craig Savage said: "I found an old Argus clipping recently which had a report about a game at the Greyhound Stadium in 1945.

"Hopefully it will be a good day on Sunday and there will be a barbecue afterwards as the celebrations go on into the evening."

Ironically Savage, who has been the key figure in Brighton's emergence as the dominant force in British baseball in recent years, may miss the game.

He was ejected after an argument with the umpires as Brighton split a double-header with Croydon Pirates last Sunday. He has subsequently been handed a one-match ban but is hoping the league shows leniency and will delay it for a week.

The reigning national champions remain on course to defend their crown at the Final Four Championships at Waterhall at the end of the month.

However, they will be looking for a positive result in the double-header with the US Air Force to maintain their challenge in the league.

Great Britain internationals Gary Tongue and Darren Heath, who joined Bucs last week, are unavailable and Pat Austin is serving a one-game ban following his ejection against Croydon.