International cricketers v world bowls players in a sport relief charity match. Matthew Hoggard and Devon Malcolm (red) playing against Grey Harlow (green) Picture: James Bass

There was no need for a fast bowler, or any sign of a googly.

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But two international crickets showed they were not short of talent when they claimed victory in a special charity bowls match.

Matthew Hoggard and Devon Malcolm rose to the challenge when facing world bowls stars Andy Thomson and Greg Harlow in a one-off game held at Potters Leisure Resort, Hopton, near Great Yarmouth.

The Celebrity Sports Relief Charity match, which tied in with the Fred Olsen World Indoor Bowls Championships being held at the resort, saw the former England cricketers play five ends of bowls which ended in a 3-2 victory.

Matt Hoggard, who is captain of Leicestershire and part of the England team which one The Ashes in 2007, said: “It was good fun. When you say bowls to people sometimes they shrug their shoulders but I enjoyed that more than I thought I would.”

The match on Saturday [January 29] raised £4,000 for Sport Relief, with £2,000 donated by The Worlds Bowls Tour and £2,000 by Potters Leisure Resort.

Richard Maddieson, CEO of World Bowls Tour, said: “Bowls has been about for years and there is this thinking that it is for the aged but in actual fact a lot of youngsters play, but that doesn’t get highlighted.

“So the idea with the celebrity cricket match is to raise the profile of the sport, but at the same time we want to support charities that have been supporting us.”