CHAIRMAN Nick Price missed one trick at the star-studded Cricket For Kids charity match between England and Australia at Cirencester CC on Sunday – he forgot to get a quote from TV’s DIY SOS front man Nick Knowles about refurbishing the club’s Listed pavilion.

A blazered Knowles, as well as ex-Vodafone boss and former benefactor of the club, Sir Christopher Gent, were among those mingling with the Earl and Countess Bathurst in the VIP section as a 3,000 plus crowd watched a good-natured clash between Test stars of the near and distant past.

And it was one of the oldest players on the field, Merv Hughes, who stole the show. Hughes, now a very portly 51, had been flown in especially from Australia by sponsors Etihad Airways along with Damien Martyn and both made significant contributions.

But for comic relief, generosity in giving autographs and posing for pictures on the boundary, not to mention his game-changing if slightly dubious hat-trick, Merv was the star.

The event was the brainchild of Aussie cricket legend Shane Warne and his actress/model partner Liz Hurley, with the proceeds split equally between two children’s charities close to their hearts, the Hop, Skip & Jump Foundation and the Shane Warne Foundation in Australia.

"It’s extraordinary how this has all come together in just five weeks," said chairman Price.

"There has been a lot of furious paddling below the surface. I think Shane and Elizabeth were delighted, but also very relieved.

"The club and the members have been fantastic and they made a great day work." Injured Aussie Test captain Michael Clarke, supporting the event along with England’s similarly sidelined Kevin Pietersen, had opined at the Ashes panel discussion beforehand that Australia would win the forthcoming Test series 5-0.

Did he not see the embarrassing Champions Trophy defeat of his side by England the previous day?

The fighting talk stayed at the lunch table, however, and the legends game was amiable throughout and sledging-free.

Even Hurley seemed torn between the two sides, saying: "Damien and Merv have been staying with us for a few days and, of course, I see Shane all the time, but I am secretly supporting England."

For the record, the game ended in a tie, Australia posting a score of 207-7 and the carefully engineered climax building to a single off the final Warne delivery which took England to an identical score.

The fans certainly got their money’s worth, especially after the late decision to reduce ticket prices to £20 for non-seated entry.

And so did the three members of the public who stumped up an aggregate of £13,000 to the day’s two worthy charities for the privilege of taking part.

Andy Clark, an Englishman living in Cape Town, flew in from South Africa, and was given the honour of opening for England alongside Andrew Strauss with a Warne remark ringing in his ears. "Don’t worry, Andy, we’ll be gentle with you ... to begin with." Clark’s day was later made complete when he clean-bowled Warne for 28.

The Earl of Mornington, who is married to Jemma Kidd (herself a model and sister of supermodel Jodie) opted to play for Australia, finishing not out after an understandably nervous start, but later getting Strauss caught off his bowling.

While Ishpal Singh, a seriously ill teenager from Wembley, faced an over from Warne during the tea interval and managed to hit almost every delivery.

They will all have priceless memories from the day the stars came out to play in Cirencester.