Like most people, I’d heard of the sport softball but wasn’t exactly sure what it involves.

I’ve been to a baseball game in Boston but found my attention was mostly diverted from action on the pitch to the snacks and beer being paraded in front of me by sellers scaling the steps of Fenway Park like mountain goats – seemingly more energetic than the players.

I came away after a three-and-a-half hour game thinking that this was the North American equivalent of cricket.

When I was invited to try softball by Winterbourne Abbas resident Chris Brignell I was expecting a head-scratching half-hour of having the rules explained to me.

But it was a pleasant surprise when Chris had us warming up right ‘off the bat’, grabbing a mitt and practising our throwing and catching. He swiftly cleared up my misconceptions.

“A softball ball is much bigger than a baseball and it’s like that so people can easily hit it. The game is all about hitting. The pitching is underarm instead of overarm which makes it so much easier to hit,” he said.

Pet photographer Chris played in a softball league in Portsmouth, where he used to live.

He said: “I joined for the social side of it, so I could meet people – it was something for me to do and something that I really enjoyed. I played in a league and there was a real range of ages, we even had someone who was 75 playing.

“I moved to Dorset four months ago and I missed playing softball. So I thought I should set up a league because I’ve recently got a qualification in coaching.”

Once I’d mastered catching the ball – a strange experience with the extended part of the mitt being the spot where you are supposed to catch it – it was on to hitting.

There are different sized bats for men and women. The women’s version is lighter and gives players with less upper body strength a greater chance of hitting the ball further.

Sadly Chris didn’t have the full array of bats that day so my dream of hitting a home run was shattered.

Standing in the hitting position felt odd, almost looking behind you in the opposite direction of your body. The reason for this was that it gives the batter sufficient swing.

With some gentle pitching and a few tips from Chris, I was able to make contact with the ball and produce a satisfying thwacking noise, sending it travelling a good few yards.

I was rapidly finding myself hooked by the game, feeling buoyed by the team’s encouragement and cheers every time I did a passable hit.

Fielding was the same. The possibility of catching the ball was a real release of adrenaline, seeing it flying towards me almost in slow motion and lining myself up with the ball – mitt poised – hoping, just hoping for a catch.

I managed one of these, I have to report. Feeling exuberant, I began diving around the field in the hope of just one more catch.

As I explained to my team mates, I’m all about 110 per cent effort on very little natural ability.

And somehow that lovely thwacking noise of ball on bat somehow became ball on bone – my kneecap – as I misguidedly dived for the ball in the wrong direction. It sent me splaying across the damp grass like a mature, much less graceful version of Bambi.

And although I had one of those ‘I’m fine, really it’s nothing’ moments followed by an ‘actually, I do just need to sit down for a second’ moment, my enthusiasm for softball wasn’t quelled.

Chris’s girlfriend Michelle Darmody was trying the game for the first time too.

She said: “I’ve always watched Chris playing and I didn’t really rate the sport when watching it but taking part and playing is just so different.

“It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed catching the ball and throwing it.

“The thing that I think really makes it unique is the fact that men and women can play together so it’s perfect for couples and for singles.”

Around 40 million people play softball in the US, with half of those women.

Going by the fact that not even an extremely bruised knee and achy legs the next day put me off, I could see why.

Not only was softball a big hit on me, it was a big hit with me and I’ll certainly be back for more.

Dorset Softball sessions

Anyone is welcome to come along as a group or an individual to Dorset Softball, which is running every other Monday evening on The Great Field, Poundbury, and every other Wednesday evening at the Marsh Sports Ground in Weymouth.

There are nine players on a team.

All levels of fitness can play, no experience is needed and equipment is provided. The sessions are free.

See facebook.com/dorsetsoftball for a full list of training dates and times.

For more information email Chris Brignell at brigarmo@icloud.com or call 01305 871925.