AN ENTERTAINING oldies Test appetiser between England and Australia at Cirencester CC ended in an honourable tie thanks mainly to a hat-trick from veteran demon bowler Merv Hughes.

The trademark handlebar moustache remains in place, though Merv’s expanded girth shows signs of the good life.

But off a seven-pace, stuttering run-up, Hughes can still hurl down quickies and he posted a game changing 3-42 off his five overs.

Hughes even showed great athleticism to pick up Jeremy Snape caught and bowled for 22 after England’s top order of Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and the big-hitting Dimitri Mascarenhas had made a big dent in the opening Aussie total of 207-7.

Mascarenhas did literally dent the windscreen of a white BMW in the car park with one of his colossal sixes.

Having snagged Snape, Hughes then clean bowled Ian Ward for a golden duck.

Mark Nicholas came to face the hat-trick ball and Hughes theatrically headed to the boundary to start his run-up. Unfortunately, by the time he reached the crease he was too exhausted to let loose a delivery, but he gathered himself before striking Nicholas on the pad off his short run.

Umpire Alan Lamb took forever to raise his finger and the batsmen’s post-match reaction that the ball was two sets of stumps wide of the mark probably had some substance.

Earlier, Australia had recovered from losing Michael Di Venuto to the first ball of Darren Gough’s spell.

For Goughy, it was minor compensation for losing his England ODI wicket-taking record to Jimmy Anderson earlier in the week.

Gloucestershire’s in-form captain Michael Klinger and Damien Martyn relished the challenge of Cirencester’s short boundaries and raced quickly to 81-1.

But, this being an exhibition match rather than one of fierce competitiveness, Klinger (40) was the first of many batsmen during the day who rather conceded their wicket when beginning to look too comfortable.

Match organiser Shane Warne joined his house guest Martyn with four Aussie wickets down and hit a quick-fire 28 before making the day of top auction bidder Andy Clark – who gave £5,500 to play for England – by flailing at and missing a delivery which took out his stumps.

Martyn fell on his sword at 59 in Strauss’ first over, but David Saker, better known as England’s bowling coach, merrily kept up the run rate. A nervous Earl of Mornington, who had paid £4,000 for the privilege of playing for Australia, was out first ball only to be generously saved by umpire David Gower belatedly calling a no-ball.

Mornington did then have the pleasure of hitting a four off Strauss’ bowling.

With Saker (37) subsequently running himself out, the Aussies finished on 207-7. Clark, given the honour of opening for England, was bowled by Saker for 1 but former England captains Strauss (42) and Vaughan (36) – in borrowed kit – batted imperiously, knocking shots to all parts of the ground and beyond.

Mornington maintained his personal battle with Strauss when having him caught in the deep, while Vaughan rather gifted a stumping to Ian Harvey off Klinger’s bowling. There was no respite for Australia, however, as Mascarenhas took the big hitting up a notch or two, racing to England’s top score of 46.

Much to the delight of the crowd, he hit Warne for three consecutive fours and then a six in one over, before he was eventually bowled by Martyn going for another big one.

Enter big Merv Hughes to account for Snape, Ward and Nicholas, which gave Australia some hope of victory.

With four runs required for an England win off the last two balls, Shaun Udal firmly hit the penultimate ball towards the boundary only for it to be fielded just short of the ropes.

He then steered Warne’s final ball away for a single to ensure that the bragging rights between the two countries were equally shared.