Lancs on way back to Trafalgar Road
SOUTHPORT and Birkdale chairman Tony Elwood has expressed his delight at the news that Trafalgar Road will be hosting Lancashire’s County Championship match against Worcestershire next August and that the club will be breaking new ground when they stage the Kia Women’s Super League game between Lancashire Thunder and Southern Vipers.
The four-day game against Worcestershire, the 2017 Division Two champions, will begin on Wednesday, August 29 with the WSL fixture taking place a month earlier on Sunday, July 29.
It should all make for a busy summer at S&B but Elwood (pictured) is confident that his team of volunteers is up to the challenge.
“I am delighted that Lancashire will be returning to Trafalgar Road in 2018,” he said.
“Despite the comfort of our unique three-year staging agreement with Old Trafford, it’s always a relief when the fixtures are finally released.
“The confirmation of this prestigious fixture is a just reward for all of the hard work our volunteers have put in over the past few years and we are delighted Lancashire continue to show confidence in us as their first choice outground.
“The match is later in the season than this year’s, which was brought forward because of the Open Golf Championship, but provided the sun shines we can look forward to another great game at Trafalgar Road.
“We know that Lancashire fans enjoy coming to Southport and hope they will continue to support us.”
“We very much look forward to welcoming Worcestershire and their supporters in August.
“If they want to know what a Southport welcome is like they only have to contact this year’s visitors, Middlesex.”
The return of Worcestershire may stir some memories among S&B’s more venerable members.
In 1959 the county were the first visitors to Southport for a championship fixture and they have returned on three subsequent occasions.
And while much has changed in the organisation of county matches in nearly 60 years, Elwood remains quietly confident that his volunteers can rise to the challenge once again.
“I will be convening a meeting of the County Match Delivery Group within the next couple of weeks, although it is fair to say that the end of season fixture obviously allows us more time to plan,” he said.
“In addition, the Club has a programme of refurbishment and improvement work scheduled to take place over the winter that will make S&B’s facilities even more attractive to members and visitors.
”And we are also delighted to be hosting a Women’s KSL match, on Sunday 29 July, when the Thunder take on the Hampshire-based Southern Vipers. This is a first for the Club, which we hope will be well received and supported.”
But the release of the full county fixture-list yesterday may have brought a measure of disappointment for Liverpool officials, whose Aigburth ground has not been awarded a game in 2018. Blackpool will stage the Royal London One-Day Cup game against Warwickshire on May 25.