As a warm up to the main event starting at Trent Bridge this week, the Clitheroe Cobras held their own version of an Ashes Test Match – with full size replica urn included!

Two days of time cricket, following the timings of a Test match day was the offering on store in a intriguing match at Chatburn Road.

The Cobras adults donned the baggy greens of Australia and the young Cobras wore the navy of England tp pit their wits against each other in a game over two innings.

A solid 198-7 declared by the Australian team resulted in an equally admirable 178 all out from the English youngsters.

The second and final day of Test cricket brought even more runs as the pitch flattened out and the Aussie batters piled up 275-7 declared.

Try as hard as they could - the ‘visitors’ were unable to bowl out England as they limped to 140-6 and the game ended in a draw.

While there was a fun element to the event, Corbas chairman Farouk Hussain said it proved to be a good cricketing exercise for his young players.

“It has been a terrific couple of days of cricket,” he said. “The boys are so used to playing limited overs cricket and they found the whole idea of batting for how ever long you wanted something very unusual. It allowed them to occupy the crease and build an innings rather than throwing their wicket away because overs were running out.

“Equally the bowlers could be more inventive with field placings and try a variety of deliveries in an attempt to take wickets – rather than simply restricting run scoring.

“Hopefully we will repeat this brilliant experience later in the Ashes season.”