YOUNG cricket fans learned the tricks of the trade from one of England’s most famous batsmen yesterday.

Former test cricketer Graeme Hick ran a coaching session at Bloxham School, near Banbury, and gave every child the chance to try to bowl him out.

The player – pictured with Pedro Bisso, 11, of Holy Trinity school, Chipping Norton – also signed autographs and answered questions. Hick appeared as part of the Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy, which is running a week-long course at the school.

Natalie Watkins, from the academy, said: “Everything went really well and all the youngsters had a good time.

“Graeme has previously coached for us and he took the time to answer questions and sign cricket bats and shirts. He enjoyed himself.”

Hick played 65 Test matches and 120 one-day internationals for England, and played county cricket for Worcestershire for his entire domestic career.

In 2008, he surpassed Graham Gooch’s record for playing the most matches in all forms of the game combined, and scored more than 40,000 first-class runs Picture: Antony Moore