EAST Bergholt Cricket club have pulled off a major coup.

The England women’s team, who are the current world Twenty20 champions, will be playing at Gandish Road in the East Bergholt Cricket Club Festival later this year.

The match, on Friday, August 26, will be the showpiece of the five-day festival, which follows on from the success of the 2009 event staged by the village side.

That featured what was billed as the ‘Unofficial Sixth Ashes Test’ when an Old England XI skippered by ex-Essex bowler Neil Foster met an Australian Pro XI of mainly club cricketers captained by Stuart Law, the former Australia, Essex and Lancashire batsman.

Foster, who lives in the village and occasionally plays for East Bergholt, led a team that included guest players Charlotte Edwards, the England women’s captain, and her international colleague Isa Guha.

Andy Fairchild, the event organiser, said: “Both Charlotte and Isa were fantastic that day and more than held their own against the men.

“We thought it would be a great idea to pitch the girls against the boys, so we contacted Charlotte and after some negotiating she agreed to bring the England women’s team down to play here.”

Foster will again skipper the Two Counties side which will be drawn from the top divisions of the championship – first, second and possibly the third division – against the women.

Fairchild added: “We think it is a bit of a coup to get the England women’s team to play here, although it is difficult to tell, but they are great ambassadors for their sport.

“We have a thriving junior section at the club, and we are encouraging girls to join in.”

A marquee will again be erected throughout the festival, and Fairchild said that a total of 20 tables had already been sold for the four-course lunches being served on the Friday and Sunday, when Sir John Barran’s President’s XI will face a Keith Alcoe Memorial XI.

The village branch of Budgens are the main sponsors of the club while Grier & Partners and Glenmoor Developments Ltd are supporting the festival.

Anyone interested in booking tickets should call 07751 748547 or email cricketweek@btinternet.com. Full details of the festival are available via www.cricketweek.org.uk