YOU'VE heard of a match made in Heaven, but what about one made on a cricket pitch.

That's what happened when Lucy Cunliffe, a member of Bolton Ladies Cricket team, met professional Australian cricketer, Michael O'Rourke.

After a whirlwind romance and hours of long distance phonecalls the couple are now preparing for their wedding on September 23.

That's almost a year to the day they met, and after that they jet off for a new life together in Sydney.

But it wasn't love at first sight, according to Lucy, a former PE teacher at a Blackburn school.

She said: "I went to a cricket match last April and he was there, playing for Egerton.

"I remember talking to him and thinking how nice he was. We got on really well but I didn't look any further into it."

Soon after their first meeting Lucy, aged 23, went on holiday and it was only in the September they met again.

She said: "I went to a cricket function with a friend -- I wasn't bothered about going but something made me -- and Michael was there.

"We got chatting and it started from there."

They say the course of true love never runs smooth and to prove the point, Michael, aged 24, had to return to Australia to play for a team in Canberra.

Lucy said: "We'd be on the phone for two hours a night. I discovered a special 5p-a-minute rate so, instead of spending money in the pub, I'd spend it on phone calls."

By now the pair were hopelessly in love and Lucy had planned a trip to Australia in April of this year. But neither of them could wait that long.

She said: "I decided to fly over to New South Wales for Christmas. I met Michael's family and friends and had an incredible time and that put the seal on our relationship."

So the couple decided to put the wheels in motion. Michael secured a team place at Greenmount and returned to Bolton.

She said: "We got engaged immediately and started talking about marriage.

"We couldn't see the point in waiting so we set the date for September. It's just a shame Michael's parents won't be able to get here but we're having a blessing in Australia."

In Sydney, Michael will play cricket and Lucy will take up a teaching post.

She said: "I'm excited but also sad at leaving my family and friends. I've left my job and I'll have to say goodbye to the girlsin the cricket team too.

"Michael's taking time off in 18 months so we'll come back to Bolton."

So will it be nothing but cricket, cricket, cricket in the 'O'Rourke' household? Lucy said: "It's great to have that in common but we do have lots of other things to talk about as well."