The Archbishop of Canterbury was spending today in Telford where one unlikely, but happy, duty was launching a new beer.

Called Sticky Wicket, it was produced to mark a cricketing success story when the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Mark Rylands, was named man of the match.

Having reached the final for the first time, the Lichfield Diocesan Clergy Cricket Club won the Church Times Cricket Cup to all round delight.

Having the archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, launch the celebratory beer was the icing on the clerical cake.

In keeping with bonfire and firework celebrations, this weekend’s visit is under the umbrella “A Church on Fire” with today’s keynote event at Telford International Centre called Burning Issues and Fired Up events.

Church members from across the county have snapped up tickets for the keynote event during the four-day visit to the diocese by Dr Rowan Williams.

This morning, he delivered a lecture on “Heresy: What is it and how should the 21st century church respond” before spending time with children and their leaders who had their own special activities.

A diocesan spokesman says: “This is the largest diocesan celebration worship event for some time.”

Attractions included a lunchtime marketplace and the new beer launch.

Last night, a sell-out evening at Walsall Football Club saw the archbishop  interviewed by Christian comedian Tim Vine.

His whirlwind weekend programme includes visits to a prison, hospice and a number of churches within the three episcopal areas of Wolverhampton, Stafford and Shrewsbury.

It began yesterday with a  lunch hosted by the Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Reverend Jonathan Gledhill, where the archbishop met  business, community and civic leaders from the region, including Shropshire, followed by a visit to Swinfen Hall, a prison and young offenders’ institution and a tour of a new wing at St Giles Hospice.

Tomorrow the archbishop will preach at a morning Eucharist in Lichfield Cathedral before attending  Evensong at St Mary’s Church in Stafford.