Sussex League: The dream is a century at the County Ground, adulation from the Sussex members and a nice headline or two in the next day's papers.

The reality for up to a third of Sussex's senior squad every Saturday is rather different.

Seven hours of cricket crammed into one long afternoon, very possibly on a tricky wicket and bumpy outfield, with everyone expecting you to excel.

That is the world of the Shepherd Neame Sussex League for players not in the first team squad at Hove.

Fancy yourself as a crowd pleaser? No point in that here. There is no crowd.

The gathering at most games barely reaches double figures when you exclude friends and relatives of the participants.

Into sports nutrition? Then better have one less slice of cake with your cuppa at the tea interval.

Nothing low key about the cricket though. Ex-pros, talented youngsters and decent overseas players abound.

Which is why Sussex insist players not in the first team compete in league cricket on a Saturday unless there have very good reasons to give it a miss. Generally, the system works.

Paul Hutchison is probably the most high profile Sussex player to have featured in club cricket this season.

The Championship winner with Yorkshire was supposed to play a key role in Sussex's assault on the top flight when he came south in September, 2001.

Instead, he has been frustrated by injury and, now fit, has spent some Saturdays playing before a couple of dozen locals enjoying the idyllic surroundings of Steyning's Memorial Field.

Somewhat incongruous in his Sussex shirt, complete with name and No. 23 on the back, he helped Steyning reach undreamt of heights by topping the league this season, though the youngsters on the nearby swings seemed unimpressed.

Local boy Michael Yardy plays for champions Hastings whenever he can and feels he is re-paying a debt.

He said: "I've played for Hastings since I was 16 and they gave me a chance then when they could have easily stuck me in the second team.

"Sometimes it can be quite enjoyable. Playing for Hastings last weekend made it six days' cricket in a row but these guys are my friends.

"Sussex give you a bit of leeway. If you feel you've played a lot in the week they'll say just play if you want but if you haven't had a bat it's a good opportunity to try things out.

"I'm trying a new batting technique, trying to close my shoulder because I've got quite an open stance, and this is a good opportunity to work at it."

The pro's wicket is a prized one but Yardy insists that does not lead to cutting remarks from opponents. Not too often anyway.

He said: "People obviously know you're a professional and you get comments. It's a bit sad because we should all be coming to enjoy our cricket but most teams are really good.

"The quality is mixed. Brighton are a good side but we finished one game at half past three."

It's not the same as being man-of-the-match in front of 4,000 fans, which is what Bas Zuiderent managed for Sussex in the Twenty20 Cup, but playing for Brighton and Hove has kept him sharp and helped him make friends in the city.

He gets on well with skipper Ray Bieber, who went out to support him in last winter's World Cup. The Dutchman topped the County League batting averages last season with 378 at 75.

He said: "The wickets are not quite as good, they are very slow and it's hard to play your shots early on but apart from that, I don't see any down sides.

"You can have as many nets as you like but there's nothing like time in the middle.

"You know no one is going to come and watch so you approach it differently. You can't expect the same buzz as you would from a county game but I enjoy trying to do well for the boys.

"I don't mess around like people have done in the past and I think people appreciate that.

"My team mates have become friends so I enjoy playing."

Bieber seconds that. He said: "The pros are more professional than they used to be and the level of competition has got better. They can see they get something out of their Saturday afternoons."

Brighton still have bad memories of the time they played Eastbourne in the county cup final.

Sussex lost early at The Oval so James Kirtley rushed home to bowl Eastbourne to victory while Brighton's pro put his feet up.

The sight though of Yardy delivering 22 successive overs of spin, as he did last week, or Kevin Innes playing for bottom-of-the-table Stirlands suggests Sussex players these days do not mind a bit of graft.

It is the sort of attitude which can only serve the county well.