Former England one-day international Paul Nixon can’t wait to make his first visit to Welbeck Colliery CC next Friday (August 29) as part of a star-studded Greene King England Legends side.

The wicket-keeper batsman will join forces with Ashes winner Steve Harmison, Strictly Come Dancing’s Mark Ramprakash and England Under-19 World Cup-winning skipper Owais Shah to take on a Welbeck Invitational XI in a special T20 match at the John Fretwell Complex.

Hard-hitting batsman Darren Maddy – the first in the world to pass 1,000 T20 runs – has been confirmed as the 11th and final Legends player, and other team members will be Shaun Udal, Dean Headley, Neil Fairbrother, Matthew Maynard, Jason Gallian and Alex Tudor.

It is the second time the England Legends have played at the venue, near Warsop, after a successful event was attended by more than 1,000 spectators last summer. The event has been organised in conjunction with the PCA and backed by main sponsors Greene King.

“I’ve been told by the players who came last year that it’s a new facility at Welbeck, that it went really well in 2013 and that there are ambitions for Nottinghamshire to play at the ground one day, which has really whetted my appetite,” said Nixon, who enjoyed a 22-year career with Leicestershire.

“For the pros, as long as the wicket is good and so are the facilities, then they love these games – and I’m told that Welbeck is excellent on both counts.

“I made my first-class debut at Hinckley, one of Leicestershire’s outgrounds, a long, long time ago now and I loved playing at grounds away from the main cities. It adds a bit of zest and it’s great to see clubs who are at the heart of their communities.”

“There’s not the high intensity that you get used to on the county circuit in this cricket – it’s more relaxed. With not as much at stake, you can enjoy it and have a laugh and a joke, while showcasing your skills at the same time.”

As part of the day, the Greene King England Legends will take time to give tips and advice to youngsters who are taking part in a kwik cricket competition that starts at 11.30am.

Corporate hospitality guests arrive at 12 noon and they will enjoy a meal and entertainment until 4pm. The main T20 match will start after that and will be followed by a live band and DJ until late. Gates are open to spectators from 1pm.

Nixon added: “One of the best parts of the day for me is spending time with the young players. There is always a lot of burgeoning talent.

“The young players are the future stars and if us former pros can use what we’ve learned down the years to help them develop that little bit quicker, then it’s a wonderful thing.”

Tickets for the England Legends game are on sale now. Adults are priced at £5 in advance (£7 on the day), 11 to seven-year-olds are £3 (£5 on the day) and under 11s free.

To book your tickets, reserve seats in corporate hospitality or for more details, call 01623 847468 or email [email protected]