Young Nathan with Wanderers star Ricardo Gardner before last night's charity match

BRUCE Springsteen was serving behind the bar at Farnworth cricket ground last night as Jon Bon Jovi supervised the bouncy castle.

That, at least, was how Bolton Radio One DJ Mark Radcliffe told it as he and sidekick Mark 'Lard' Riley hijacked the tannoy at the Piggott Road venue.

In truth the celebrities who donned their whites for a charity match in aid of two-year-old Nathan Howarth, who suffers from a potentially fatal genetic disorder, were not quite in the megastar league.

But the crowd who helped the appeal raising funds to send him to America for specialist treatment were anything but disappointed as summer enjoyed its final flourish.

There were flourishes aplenty on the field too, not least from Wanderers' Jamaican international Ricardo Gardner.

He headed a line-up of past and present Whites staff - from Roy Greaves and John Thomas to Lofty the Lion - who joined Messrs Radcliffe and Riley against a rival 11 representing local businesses.

Radio Lancashire presenter Bill Cunliffe and GMR cricket correspondent John Gwynn also donned their whites on an evening which was refreshingly ego-free.

Asked if he was a decent cricketer "on the quiet", Radcliffe answered: "If I am it's so quiet that even I don't know about it. I haven't played since I left Bolton school in 1976 and I was terrible then.

"I used to spend my time sliding down the grass banks so I had grass stains on my whites and it looked as if I'd been doing some energetic fielding."

He scored the grand total of two, with Lard scraping into double figures. Both had driven straight from presenting their show in Manchester.

There was more modesty from Reggae boy Ricardo Gardner who said: "I'm not quite a typical West Indian player" before cracking the ball around the ground on his way to the night's top score of 51.

For many of the younger watchers the "mane" attraction was Wanderers mascot Lofty the Lion, a comical sight as took to the crease with suprising skill.

It looked as if his bowling would be up to the same standard as he came roaring in for his first delivery. Alas, it was as wide as the African plains.

The celebs notched 132-7 in their alloted 20 overs, a target which the local business side narrowly missed out on at 129 all out.

For them Tyrone Knight bagged 40 and Martin Rigby, of Barton Lake Swimming Pools and Spas.

But the real winner was the appeal for Nathan's life-saving treatment in Wisconsin, United States.

His mum Denise Kelly said: "The night exceeded all our expectations. I want to thank everybody who took part."

The night brought back memories for Mark Radcliffe. "I had a summer job in Longcauseway here, delivering bread for Warburtons."

"That's uncanny," said Lard. "I used to eat bread."

"It's just one of the many strange coincidences which bind us together," Radcliffe replied.

* Anyone who wishes to make a donation to Nathan's appeal should ring Denise on 0802 694448 or pay directly into Natwest Bank asking for the Nathan Howarth Appeal.