AMERICAN servicemen seconded to RAF Fairford swapped baseball for cricket in a friendly match at Fairford Cricket Club, organised by the British American Committee.

The event gave the Americans, from North Dakota, Arizona, Texas and Pennsylvania, the chance to watch or play cricket for the very first time, then share in a barbecue and some beers.

Each team included both British and American players so honours were even, with the winning team scoring 101 runs, nine ahead of the runners-up.

Richard Young, a stalwart of the Fairford 1st XI who played in the match, said: “It was so much fun that some of the Americans wanted to carry on playing even after the game had finished.”