The Middlesex County Cricket Club squad was all out last Friday – but only because they swapped bats and balls for spades and trowels in a local Ground Force style revamp.

An unusual team building exercise took place at Radlett Cricket Club, Cobden Hill, in a horticultural themed build-up to the cricket season.

Players transformed the entrance and exterior of Radlett’s headquarters - also Middlesex’s training base and second eleven home ground.

Nick Compton, grandson of legendary English test cricketer and Arsenal footballer Denis Compton, took part in the revamp.

England fast bowler Steven Finn and Australian-born opening batsman Sam Robson along with other players also donned gardening gloves and wellies to build a new entrance to the club, while also digging and planting a long laurel hedge.

Flower borders were created, too, at the Radlett Club entrance, with planter boxes filled with an assortment of colourful foliage.

Middlesex Cricket, which covers all cricket activity in the county, said later that it was a ‘brilliant day’.

The club was officially founded during a gathering of ‘gentlemen of Middlesex’ in the London Tavern in 1864, and has played at the home of cricket, Lord’s Cricket Ground, since 1877.