THERE’S a Jim Parks bar at the ground at Hove, named after the Sussex and England batsman-wicketkeeper of the 1960s. They seem to have been churning them out ever since, and were able to let Martin Speight go to Durham because they had Peter Moores.

The influence of the ex-England coach may have helped to produce Matt Prior and Tim Ambrose, but Moores has been gone for a while now and still the production line keeps rolling.

The absence of Prior on England duty enabled 25-year-old Andrew Hodd to score his third first-class century in his 23rd match. Despite being only 5ft 8in, he squats at the crease with his rear end sticking out in exaggerated fashion.

Durham were slow to realise that, like a lot of short batsmen, he cuts strongly and Dale Benkenstein wasn’t best pleased to be kept running around like a headless chicken at deep point.

After his century on the first day, the ex-captain spent part of the following morning on the physio’s couch because of a foot problem, so it seemed a bit cruel that he should have to carry out such donkey work in the field. He blamed poor bowling rather than the new captain’s field positioning.

Getting back to Hodd, he’s clearly no slouch, outpacing Luke Wright during their stand of 150. But Sussex are currently preferring 20-year-old Ben Brown in their one-day team because he’s apparently a better striker. So that’s yet another one they have produced.

MY book, Summers With Durham, is now available in the Sussex, Somerset, Glamorgan, Warwickshire and Headingley shops, but not at Riverside.

A second email to Cotton Traders, who now run the shop, has gone unanswered, just like the first one six weeks ago.

A gentleman who bought the book at the Hove ground got the whole Durham team to sign it and was particularly pleased with Steve Harmison’s signature as he had taken the trouble to make it neat and legible. That book will probably be available on eBay by now.

The purchaser, who also requested my signature, seemed a perfectly sane chap, unlike some of the eccentrics who attend four-day cricket matches, or indeed some of those to be witnessed on Brighton seafront early in the morning.

It’s Sod’s Law that two of the best trips should come back-to-back at this time of year. West Somerset looked splendid in its spring glory, but Brighton prom was a cold and blustery place.

It didn’t stop the usual crop of those seeking to get fit from going through a variety of exercise regimes. One group were working in pairs, taking it in turns to wear large pads on their hands. The idea seemed to be to sprint ten yards then punch the pads for ten seconds. Some of the participants looked as though they couldn’t knock the skin off a rice pudding, but no doubt they felt better for it.

They would certainly have a healthier glow than the vagrants emerging from sleeping bags on the shelter seats. Directly opposite the famous Grand Hotel was a shelter where the sole, dishevelled occupant was kick-starting the day at 7.30 by swigging from a bottle of cider.

Some might label these vagrants the dregs of society; others might prefer to hang the label on the politicians who swan around in the Grand at their party conferences.

MARK Davies joined the Durham team at Hove and was off his crutches a week after having a piece of bone removed from his left ankle. Everything is going well and he is expected to be fit in five weeks.

In the past when he has started a season well he has tended to miss the last two months through injury. This time he’s hoping it will be the other way round.