Lancashire County Cricket Club will be hoping the re-development of their ground and the surrounding area of Trafford will turn them in to one of the country’s premier sporting destinations.
With plans finalised and an application pending, the hope is to start work early next year and the club’s vision for the future is to be up there with the best in the country when it comes to entertainment and facilities.
Lancashire Chief Executive Jim Cumbes said: "The Old Trafford brand has a massive standing in world cricket. The club has been on the same site since 1857.
“Our membership and cricket lovers everywhere recognise the contribution that the club makes locally to the economy through visitor attraction, image, marketing and employment in the Borough.
“I am delighted that Trafford Council have, in principle, welcomed our vision for this international sporting initiative to become a reality. It will deliver huge economic benefits both for Trafford and for the north-west region.” [Lancs website, 2008]
The project, as well as re-generating Old Trafford, will include a hotel, and retail and residential space and early estimations suggest a potential end value of £200 million, with the possibility of creating 2,000 new jobs for local people.
The proposals have been put together over the last few months between the club and a handful of local land owners and funding partners. These include Trafford Council, Ask Developments and Tesco.
Michael Kissman, spokesman for Tesco, said: "Tesco are very pleased to be part of this innovative partnership. It is a great example of the imaginative thinking required to drive forward such a major sports project and regeneration initiative. We are confident that together we will deliver a whole range of benefits for the people of Trafford, Greater Manchester and the North West as a whole.” [Lancs website, 2008]
Ken Knott, Chief Executive of Ask Developments, said: “Ask Developments is delighted to be appointed as Old Trafford’s development partner for such an outstanding mixed-use scheme, which will contribute greatly to the borough and see Old Trafford rightfully regain its reputation as a world-class venue.” [Lancs website, 2008]
Part of the problem for Lancashire over recent years has been the demise of the hosting of international matches at Old Trafford, which along with recognition brings fantastic financial rewards.
With the new highly ambitious proposals in place, Lancashire will be destined to reinstate their position as one of the biggest county teams on the scene, and with that, attract the attention of the England Cricket Board, with regards to hosting their share of international matches once again.
Lancs website: http://www.lccc.co.uk/
Monday 8 December 2008
Old Trafford Upgrade
Lancashire County Cricket Club have announced that major re-development work on Old Trafford could start as early as 2009.
The plans for the ground itself include two new grandstands, new player and media facilities and a hotel, as well as the enhancement of the existing pavilion.
The ground development is part of a regeneration plan for the Borough of Trafford which is to include new business, residential, retail and leisure space for the area.
The proposals for the whole regeneration plan have been put together by Lancashire County Cricket Club and its partners Trafford Council, Ask Developments, Tesco and the neighbouring Stretford High School.
Derek Davies, Headmaster of Stretford High School said: “The club is in detailed discussions with the school and its governors, as well as the local authority, to identify how the proposals can deliver maximum benefits for the local community. This is an exciting opportunity to get Trafford’s young people a great result.” [Lancs website, 2008]
Lancashire have long been one of the biggest cricket clubs on the county scene and have often staged international matches involving England, but in recent years have seen that international status start to decline, largely because of development at other grounds.
Once the two new grandstands are complete, the capacity at the ground will be 15,000 with the potential to rise to 25,000 with temporary seating installed. This would result in ample capacity for international games, which Lancs hope to install as a more permanent fixture at the club.
Susan Williams, leader of Trafford Council said: “We warmly welcome the proposals as a basis for wider consultation. We fully support the club’s ambitions to secure the future of international cricket in the north-west and we look forward to it gaining a richly deserved international profile. The new Old Trafford will bring an awareness and interest to the borough which will further boost our famous sport, leisure and visitor offer.” [Lancs website, 2008]
As part of the development a new playing outfield will also be laid, with a much faster state of the art drainage system similar to the one used at Lords, which is great news for a club that notoriously suffers problems with heavy rain and a soggy outfield.
Having lodged a planning application after the Chief Executive of Trafford Council unanimously approved the proposals, the club are now waiting for the green light to start the first phase of the development early in the new year, with the plan of having the whole project complete by 2012.
Lancs website: http://www.lccc.co.uk/
The plans for the ground itself include two new grandstands, new player and media facilities and a hotel, as well as the enhancement of the existing pavilion.
The ground development is part of a regeneration plan for the Borough of Trafford which is to include new business, residential, retail and leisure space for the area.
The proposals for the whole regeneration plan have been put together by Lancashire County Cricket Club and its partners Trafford Council, Ask Developments, Tesco and the neighbouring Stretford High School.
Derek Davies, Headmaster of Stretford High School said: “The club is in detailed discussions with the school and its governors, as well as the local authority, to identify how the proposals can deliver maximum benefits for the local community. This is an exciting opportunity to get Trafford’s young people a great result.” [Lancs website, 2008]
Lancashire have long been one of the biggest cricket clubs on the county scene and have often staged international matches involving England, but in recent years have seen that international status start to decline, largely because of development at other grounds.
Once the two new grandstands are complete, the capacity at the ground will be 15,000 with the potential to rise to 25,000 with temporary seating installed. This would result in ample capacity for international games, which Lancs hope to install as a more permanent fixture at the club.
Susan Williams, leader of Trafford Council said: “We warmly welcome the proposals as a basis for wider consultation. We fully support the club’s ambitions to secure the future of international cricket in the north-west and we look forward to it gaining a richly deserved international profile. The new Old Trafford will bring an awareness and interest to the borough which will further boost our famous sport, leisure and visitor offer.” [Lancs website, 2008]
As part of the development a new playing outfield will also be laid, with a much faster state of the art drainage system similar to the one used at Lords, which is great news for a club that notoriously suffers problems with heavy rain and a soggy outfield.
Having lodged a planning application after the Chief Executive of Trafford Council unanimously approved the proposals, the club are now waiting for the green light to start the first phase of the development early in the new year, with the plan of having the whole project complete by 2012.
Lancs website: http://www.lccc.co.uk/
Laxman's Back
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
The big story surrounding Lancashire cricket at the moment is Indian overseas star VVS Laxman' s arrival at the club, and rightly so.
Though virtually all the posts I've read from Lancashire fans give me the impression that all will be great at Lancs due to the signing of one man. Blind optomism is being used to paper over the cracks of a troubled county and no one man can fix this problem, at least not one batsman.
Three or four maybe but Lancs are traditionally a producing club and only in recent years have they chased other counties' star players, and Cork aside none of them have really shined.
Because of the lack of money in county cricket, even at the big clubs like Lancs, sides have to produce their own talent to be successful.
If smaller counties like Sussex and Durham are producing their own players, players who can win them titles, then why aren't Lancs?Signing a quality overseas player is always a step in the right direction, but thinking that one signing is the answer to all your problems is crazy.
Lancs need to look a little bit deeper within their own county before they can consider themselves serious title challengers, with or without Laxman.
posted by RF Rutter
The big story surrounding Lancashire cricket at the moment is Indian overseas star VVS Laxman' s arrival at the club, and rightly so.
Though virtually all the posts I've read from Lancashire fans give me the impression that all will be great at Lancs due to the signing of one man. Blind optomism is being used to paper over the cracks of a troubled county and no one man can fix this problem, at least not one batsman.
Three or four maybe but Lancs are traditionally a producing club and only in recent years have they chased other counties' star players, and Cork aside none of them have really shined.
Because of the lack of money in county cricket, even at the big clubs like Lancs, sides have to produce their own talent to be successful.
If smaller counties like Sussex and Durham are producing their own players, players who can win them titles, then why aren't Lancs?Signing a quality overseas player is always a step in the right direction, but thinking that one signing is the answer to all your problems is crazy.
Lancs need to look a little bit deeper within their own county before they can consider themselves serious title challengers, with or without Laxman.
posted by RF Rutter
Tuesday 7 October 2008
Lancashire's woes
Another county cricket season is over and yet again Lancashire failed to live up to their high expectations. By being relegated to division 2 of the Pro 40 Leaugue and narrowly avoiding the drop in the all important County Championship this has to be seen as a huge failure, especially for a county that considers only winning silverware a success.
Considering the expectations of the club these last few trophyless seasons must grate quite bad but at least in previous seasons they've come relatively close, and on some occasions extremely close, particularly to that elusive County Championship title which has escaped them now for an amazing 74 years.
So what questions can be posed as to why one of the richest and most historical counties in the country has failed to deliver on so many occasions and in particular last season?
Any Lancastrian would tell you the weather in Lancashire probably puts Lancs on the back foot, as probably as often as not, a game at Old Trafford is settled as a draw without the full quota of four days being played, leaving Lancs with too many draws in games they've often been on top in.
Of course the whole of the north and the midlands for that matter may argue that their counties bare a similar brunt and that didn't stop Durham from snatching the title away from Notts this season on the final day of a particularly wet summer nationwide.
An interesting statistic from the 2007 season when south coast minnows Sussex were the champions (for the 3rd time in 5 years) was that Lancashire lost over a thousand overs to rain at Old Trafford alone compared to some 400 odd overs that Sussex had lost that year at Hove. To put that in perspective that's around two and a half games lost for Lancs compared to Sussex's one, this in a season where Sussex bettered lancs' point total by 5 or so points, and this was just the overs lost from home games.
Though quite telling and a topic that comes up over and over again, short of moving Lancashire to the south coast a resolution to this matter seems quite impossible, and given the rain that every county suffered this season, the argument doesn't hold as much weight as it has in previous years.
So what else has burdoned Lancashire in their most fruitless season in donkey's years? What about missing their two best bowlers for the vast majority of the season thanks to England call ups. Is this just reward for producing two of the finest pace bowlers in the country? Of course the men in question, Flintoff & Anderson have been tied to England for years now, as have many others from several other counties. So a burdon it may be but unfair, probably not, especially considering the financial benefits a county receives from the ECB for producing an International player.
In addition to this point Sussex, who have now won the title 3 times in the last 6 years, have scaresley suffered the loss of a player gaining England recognition, certainly not to the extent of Lancashire or Durham. Is it just coinsidence that Durham, usually pegged back by the loss of at least Steve Harmison to the England team, won the first title in their history in a season when Harmison was available for virtually the whole year?
Durham of course have been competing with the big guns for a few seasons now and although the newest team, are themselves recognised as a big team who are able to lure some of the biggest names in world cricket to ply their trade at the Riverside, which these days is also a ground of test status.
So while Sussex and Durham are getting it right (with Sussex punching well above their weight) Lancs continue to toil and underachieve. Like Sussex and Durham they have a good amount of young players coming through the ranks, as they should given the size of the county, but since Flintoff, Anderson and Mahmood none of these young players have really pushed on and cemented a place in the team.
Given Lancashire's power they have always been a county able to sign the best non test playing English players on the circuit. Loye and Cork spring to mind, although whether they were past their best or still in their prime is another matter. Add to this a whole host of top class overseas players, sometimes as many as 4 or 5 a season, the ingredients for success should surely be there.
For the coming season Lancs have once again found a top quality overseas performer in VVS Laxman but after once again changing their captain, and losing an ageing but great batsmen in the process, while handing the responsibility to another good but ageing player, Lancs look set to stuggle on. As ever not only against the likes of Sussex and Durham, but the elements, an unfamiliar lack of rising stars, increasingly high expectations and the ever growing pressure to win the county championship for the first time in 74 years.
Considering the expectations of the club these last few trophyless seasons must grate quite bad but at least in previous seasons they've come relatively close, and on some occasions extremely close, particularly to that elusive County Championship title which has escaped them now for an amazing 74 years.
So what questions can be posed as to why one of the richest and most historical counties in the country has failed to deliver on so many occasions and in particular last season?
Any Lancastrian would tell you the weather in Lancashire probably puts Lancs on the back foot, as probably as often as not, a game at Old Trafford is settled as a draw without the full quota of four days being played, leaving Lancs with too many draws in games they've often been on top in.
Of course the whole of the north and the midlands for that matter may argue that their counties bare a similar brunt and that didn't stop Durham from snatching the title away from Notts this season on the final day of a particularly wet summer nationwide.
An interesting statistic from the 2007 season when south coast minnows Sussex were the champions (for the 3rd time in 5 years) was that Lancashire lost over a thousand overs to rain at Old Trafford alone compared to some 400 odd overs that Sussex had lost that year at Hove. To put that in perspective that's around two and a half games lost for Lancs compared to Sussex's one, this in a season where Sussex bettered lancs' point total by 5 or so points, and this was just the overs lost from home games.
Though quite telling and a topic that comes up over and over again, short of moving Lancashire to the south coast a resolution to this matter seems quite impossible, and given the rain that every county suffered this season, the argument doesn't hold as much weight as it has in previous years.
So what else has burdoned Lancashire in their most fruitless season in donkey's years? What about missing their two best bowlers for the vast majority of the season thanks to England call ups. Is this just reward for producing two of the finest pace bowlers in the country? Of course the men in question, Flintoff & Anderson have been tied to England for years now, as have many others from several other counties. So a burdon it may be but unfair, probably not, especially considering the financial benefits a county receives from the ECB for producing an International player.
In addition to this point Sussex, who have now won the title 3 times in the last 6 years, have scaresley suffered the loss of a player gaining England recognition, certainly not to the extent of Lancashire or Durham. Is it just coinsidence that Durham, usually pegged back by the loss of at least Steve Harmison to the England team, won the first title in their history in a season when Harmison was available for virtually the whole year?
Durham of course have been competing with the big guns for a few seasons now and although the newest team, are themselves recognised as a big team who are able to lure some of the biggest names in world cricket to ply their trade at the Riverside, which these days is also a ground of test status.
So while Sussex and Durham are getting it right (with Sussex punching well above their weight) Lancs continue to toil and underachieve. Like Sussex and Durham they have a good amount of young players coming through the ranks, as they should given the size of the county, but since Flintoff, Anderson and Mahmood none of these young players have really pushed on and cemented a place in the team.
Given Lancashire's power they have always been a county able to sign the best non test playing English players on the circuit. Loye and Cork spring to mind, although whether they were past their best or still in their prime is another matter. Add to this a whole host of top class overseas players, sometimes as many as 4 or 5 a season, the ingredients for success should surely be there.
For the coming season Lancs have once again found a top quality overseas performer in VVS Laxman but after once again changing their captain, and losing an ageing but great batsmen in the process, while handing the responsibility to another good but ageing player, Lancs look set to stuggle on. As ever not only against the likes of Sussex and Durham, but the elements, an unfamiliar lack of rising stars, increasingly high expectations and the ever growing pressure to win the county championship for the first time in 74 years.
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