BOLTON players are warming up for a production which they hope will ‘bowl over’ audiences.

The Christ Church Players has chosen a fast moving romp on the pitch for its 2017 production.

Members are donning their whites and cracking out the Pimms for Twelfth Man by H Connolly.

Set in a dilapidated village cricket pavilion, the comedy follows what happens when a visiting ladies team shows up unexpectedly at a traditionally all-male club.

Director Ruth Syddall is drawing on some real life experiences for the play after she became a ‘cricket widow’ when her husband Adam took over the captaincy of Edgworth CC 1st X1 this year.

She said: “We’ve all had lots of fun at the crease with this one.

“I was delighted to be offered the chance to direct this less known little comedy, we’ve well and truly given it some spin!

“It would appear there’s a whole side to cricket I knew nothing about. Runaway rollers, baseball bats, motorbike helmets and crab paste sandwiches.

“Thankfully I have never come across those in real life!”

The battle of the sexes plays out on the pitch as the Tetford cricket team is faced with the unexpected challenge.

The reactions from the home team, a cavalier band of self-important local men, are hardly encouraging and intrigue, trickery and major revelations come to the fore.

Geoffrey Pearson takes on the role of the overbearing skipper Len whose past looks set to finally catch up with him.

He added: “You’ve got laughs from start to finish, but, with intrigue and trickery thrown into the plot, it’s clear that Len’s not the only one who hides a guilty secret.

“His role is absolutely fantastic and there are plenty of great lines but there are so many layers to this play; all parts definitely have their chance to shine.”

Twelfth Man runs from February 8 to 11 in the Christ Church Parish Centre, Markland Hill at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £8 and can be booked by calling Pam Hodson at the box office on 01204 465631.