Members of the Australian cricket team were very welcome guests at a charity event held at Lancashire County Cricket Club.

Coach Darren Lehmann and batsman Shane Watson joined in the fun at The Point in aid of The Christie Hospital.

Linda Orrett, from The Christie, explained there was a poignancy to the occasion: ‘Whenever the Australian team is here, Geoff and Suzanne Goodwin hold an event and send the profits to a cancer charity in Australia. Unfortunately, Suzanne was struck by cancer herself recently so the team said they would give money raised to a charity of Suzanne and Geoff’s choice.

‘Suzanne is currently being treated in the Haematology and Transplant Unit at The Christie. They noticed that the HTU had their own dedicated charity, called HaTS (Haematology and Transplant Support) for which I am the events manager. They asked if we would like to put the event on with them, so obviously we agreed.’

HaTS is a dedicated charity for the Haematology and Transplant Unit at The Christie. Among other things, the charity funds the provision of complementary therapies including massage, aromatherapy and acupuncture, which helps patients relax and cope with the side effects of treatment.

Entertainment and fun at the event included an auction of cricket memorabilia.