CRICKETERS who believe they are the last pub team in the league are toasting their 25th anniversary with their very own beer.

The Real Oddies, who represent the Odd One Out in Mersea Road, Colchester, have uncorked three real ales to celebrate a quarter of a century at the crease.

The Harwich Town Brewing Co created the Golden Duck, a light, golden session beer, Owzat, a ruby ale, and an as-yet unnamed 6.6 per cent strong ale for the occasion.

All of the new brews are now on sale at the Mersea Road pub.

In between celebrations, the Real Oddies, whose players range in age from 17 to over 50, will be back out on league duties on Sunday, albeit with a few sore heads.

The club plays in Division Four of the North Essex Cricket League, and has won one and lost one so far this season.

Club chairman Mike Connell said: “We are a little club with a good reputation.

“We don’t know of any other pub-based team that plays league cricket. “We play the likes of Coggeshall and Tendring. We even had a game against Frinton, who had a South African who was out to cause a sensation and one of our players caught him on the boundary.

“Win, lose or draw, we always play a sporting game of cricket.”

Mr Connell said it is an honour to have the beers in the club's name.

He said: "The Golden Duck really is a lovely beer. John the landlord has been getting through as many as he can supply."

Landlord of 31 years and former Real Oddies cricketer John Parrick, said: “The good times have been on a regular basis, year after year, like when we have the end-of-season barbecue.

“The Real Oddies are the last pub team in a formal league in Essex and it’s quite sad – there should be much more support for local teams.”

The Real Oddies were originally called Kevin’s Kittens, after the team was started by former pub regular, Kevin Bailey.

They thought up their new name 31 years ago, after another group, who were not regulars at the pub, named themselves The Odd Ones Out.

One of the Oddies’ shields from around 1985 still stands in pride of place behind the bar – but not as a token of a hard-won match.

Johnh, 69, said: “The shield was awarded to the team that came bottom.

“It still creates quite a bit of interest and amusement. I’m absolutely proud of that shield.”

The pub will subsidise 30p of every one of the special beers sold at Colchester Beer Festival, which starts tomorrow.