IT HAS always been regarded as very much the gentleman's game. And so it is not surprising that there is a strict code when it comes to dressing up for a day at Lord's - the spiritual home of cricket.

Sponsors of the C& G final have issued some useful guidelines so Hampshire fans do not get caught in the fashion slips when they descend on the hallowed ground for the cup final clash with Warwickshire.

So that everyone bowls a fine body line, the Cheltenham & Gloucester has issued useful information on a special pre-match website for guests attending the C & G Final on Saturday.

While Pink Panther and other fancy dress outfits have become the norm during the Ashes test matches this summer, the C&G final dress code insists that guests are expected to maintain an acceptable standard of dress while at the ground.

T-shirts, tailored shorts with appropriate shoes and socks are accepted as minimum standard dress. But the following items of clothing would lead to an early dismissal from the NW8 ground.

Scoring a definite NO are football or cycling shorts, gentlemen's sleeveless shirts or singlets and flip-flop shoes.

Also on the banned list are ripped or badly torn jeans, tracksuits and dilapidated or offensive garments of any kind. Bare feet and bare torsos are also frowned upon and NOT permitted under any circumstances.

The strict dress protocol is imposed to maintain the dignity of this world-famous home of cricket, which was built in 1814.

It houses the MCC, the members' club that is the custodian of the laws of the game as well as the sport's UK and international governing bodies. It remains the place where all cricketers yearn to play.

Cricket historian Dave Allen, who is curator at the Hampshire Cricket Club, said the dress code at Lord's harks back to the fact that the ground is a private arena owned by the MCC, and not by a county cricket board like the Rose Bowl.

He said: "Really it's a class thing. It was originally the upper classes who set up and ran these grounds. However, it's also about controlling the fans and trying to make sure cricket supporters don't behave like some football fans do - if you're smartly dressed the theory goes that you'll be less likely to cause problems."

With unpredictable weather the advice from the C&G is to bring suitable clothing, hats and suncream. However, make sure you cover up any naked flesh. Or you could find yourself on an early away day from Lords.