Rex Roberts has been playing for East Dean and Friston Cricket Club for seven decades.

His first game was for East Dean Colts in 1949 and last weekend he was keeping wicket for the club in a Cuckmere Valley League match against Burwash Weald.

Last week we featured Malcolm Eldridge's 1,000 appearances for St Peters. Although Rex has not reached that milestone for his local club, he has played over 1,400 cricket matches.

The retired teacher has played, not only cricket for East Dean ,but also in far flung African countries like Botswana and Kenya where he held teaching posts and was actually paid to play.

Rex started playing near bombsites during the Second World War before joining East Dean at the age of ten.

He said: "I always loved cricket and as soon as I joined East Dean I played regularly. Even when working in Cambridge, I used to commute down regularly to East Dean on Sundays to play.

"I usually wasn't available for Saturdays."

Bizarrely, at the age of 62, Rex is playing more regularly now than he was in his younger days.

"Between 1989 and 1999, I made 491 appearances," said Rex. "Now I am retired there is a bit more free time for me to play more games.

"I don't find it too much of a problem standing up to fast bowlers, despite my age.

"Good bowlers are accurate and the ball sticks well into the gloves.

"I am not an established batsman, I can open, but tend to go in down the order.

"I always make more runs when playing as an opener. I used to end up as East Dean's top run scorer when we went on tour."

Rex, the fixtures secretary, wins a case of London Pride for informing us of his exploits.