Australian cricketers were the star guests at a fund-raising dinner at the Lowry Hotel in aid of lymphoma research.

Sisters Suzanne Goodwin and Lisa Birrell from Go Goodwins Coaches in South Manchester have, with friends and colleagues, so far raised over £12,000 for University of Manchester and Christie hospital researchers.

Over 160 guests, including the whole Australian one day cricket team, enjoyed a drinks reception followed by dinner. Suzanne Goodwin, a lymphoma patient currently in remission, welcomed everyone including Dr Kim Linton and Professor John Radford.

Darren Lehmann hosted a cricket Q and A session and many guests took photos and chatted to the players: Captain Smith, Aga, Burns, Coulter-Nile, Cummins, Finch, Hastings, March, Maxwell, Pattinson, Starc, Stoinis and Wade. They also had their staff team Blewett, Cooley, Weller, Dovey, Dimasi and Murgatroyd.

Auction items included a 2015 World Cup team jersey by the Australian cricket team and signed shirts from Steve Smith, Michael Clarke and David Warner, plus two Brad Hadlin helmets. w