A group of Nottinghamshire club cricketers have jumped at the chance to test themselves against the County’s top pros in the most traditional of settings – the village green.

They’re all handing over at least £100 each – and in some cases, a lot more – to be part of a Twenty20 charity match between teams led by club captain Chris Read and Outlaws skipper David Hussey.

The game, on Monday, August 9, is at the home of Car Colston Cricket Club – the only club in Nottinghamshire still playing on the village green.   It gets underway at 4.30 p.m.

Chris and David will be joined by six of their county colleagues, and there’s been no shortage of keen amateurs queuing to complete the two teams.

“We’re looking forward to a wonderful summer evening’s cricket and a whole range of other entertainments, attracting big crowds and giving a boost to two worthwhile charities,” said Chris.

“We know there’ll be some good club cricketers looking to take big-name scalps, so excitement is guaranteed.  For our part, we’ll be revving up for our date on the national stage, at the Friends Provident t20 Finals Day.”

Proceeds will be shared by Bowel Cancer UK (www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk);  and the Laura Rose Memorial Trust (www.lrmt.co.uk), a children’s education charity established in memory of eleven-year-old Laura Morgan, from Woodborough, who drowned in a sailing tragedy in Greece seven years ago.  

Laura’s mother, Lynne, and Chris’s wife, Louise, are playing leading roles in organising the event.

“Ever since we began work a few weeks’ ago, the support has been unbelievable,” said Louise who has already raised £2500.   

It’s the first of what Chris and Louise hope will become annual celebrity matches in aid of the charity working to raise awareness of bowel cancer, which claimed the life of Chris’s first cricket coach and close friend, Trevor Ward.

In addition to the cricket, attractions will feature music from the three-piece girl band, Triplequette, and a  bumper raffle – including ‘a women’s special’ offering pedicures, cosmetic treatments and beauty aids as prizes.  

Major sponsors include cricket equipment specialists Gunn and Moore, investment management and banking firm Brewin Dolphin and the Hands On Pub Co.