Long-serving Cleator Cricket Club scorer Gordon Relph has an important date at Lord’s next month.

Gordon has been invited to attend the ECB NatWest Outstanding Services to Cricket Awards which are being presented at cricket’s headquarters.

The event, on Tuesday, October 9, is aimed at recognising those volunteers in the recreational game of cricket who give so much of their time to the sport – without these individuals the game would not survive.

The awards provide the opportunity to thank the volunteers for their work and to celebrate their various achievements.

During the season which just ended on Saturday, Gordon completed 700 games as the Cleator scorer after initially spending three years with Egremont.

Gordon said: "I’m absolutely thrilled to have been invited to this event. I didn’t know anything about it until Tom Sharp, the Cleator 1st XI captain, announced it ahead of the final game.

“Tom thanked everybody for their efforts in going close to winning the league and then said I had been nominated by the Cumberland Cricket Board to attend the awards dinner at Lord’s.

“I was first there in the 1970s to watch a Test match, England versus West Indies, and I have seen other Test matches over the years.

“But my greatest thrill was being there for Cleator’s Village Trophy success a few years ago. That’s something that will live with me forever.

"I had intended to be stepping down as scorer at Cleator because I’m 75 next year but I’ve decided to carry on for one more season.

“Egremont are in the Premier Division next season and they were my first club, so it will be great to score when they meet again in the top-flight.”