Grayson came out of retirement for the Mal Loye Twenty20 benefit game, which saw Blackpool quickie Richard Gleeson claim a hat-trick.

Then star man Gleeson completed a memorable day for the 20-year-old, who fired a winning boundary off the final delivery of the game – bowled by Loye.

Grayson said: "It was a fantastic day, although I got a bit of stick from Lou Vincent.

"The Northern League lads made me really welcome.

"I didn't know any of them before but some were PNE fans so there was a bit of banter flying around."

Gleeson took the wickets of Kiwi Lou Vincent, who smashed 80, former Lancashire skipper Mark Chilton and Oliver Newby in successive balls.

Grayson, who took a wicket and scored 13, including a six off Chilton, added: "I called in a favour from my brother Paul, who is a coach at Essex, because I didn't have any gear.

"I turned out in a charity game about three years ago, but otherwise it is 10 years since I played.

"It was good to get my whites on again because I love my cricket."

Lancashire piled on 167-9, but Gleeson (26) and James Smith (11) saw the Northern League home.

Gleeson said: "It was fantastic to claim a hat-trick.

"Paul Horton, who was the non-striker, gave me his congratulations, which I thought was a nice touch."

Before the game, the Lancashire players gave coaching clinics to a
number of youngsters.

Another event coming soon is a Twenty20 game between another Mal Loye Lancashire Select XI and a Palace Shield XI, which is being played at Garstang Cricket Club on August 31.