Getting away fro good for Lancash

Dan Whiting continues his wonderfully nostalgic series with a tour around Lancashire’s outgrounds

Oh Manchester, so much to answer for, lamented the singer Morrissey who was raised in Stretford. But for Lancashire County Cricket Club, the question is always raised if Old Trafford and its inclement weather has played a part in their lack of Championships.

The last time they played at Old Trafford and won a County Championship outright was in 1934. A shared title with Surrey in 1950 arrived at the famous venue and despite the fact that one-day cups were plentiful in the Seventies, it wasn’t until 2011 that Lancashire won the crown in the longer format again.

The year 2011 saw great change at Old Trafford. Major renovations of the stands were required after losing out on Test matches to Cardiff and Durham and the square was turned 90 degrees due to visibility problems with a setting sun. Modern additions such as The Point stand and a hospitality area were added to Old Trafford, so Lancashire played at numerous grounds around the North West instead, playing six of those home games at Aigburth in Liverpool.

Aigburth is the home of Liverpool Cricket Club – who, having been formed in 1807, are the oldest amateur club in the rich sporting environs of Merseyside.

The pavilion dates back to 1880, making it the oldest pavilion still in use at any first-class ground in the world. It is a stunning piece of Victorian architecture and makes the one at Lord’s, built in 1889, look positively modern.

Red bricked in the classical style of that era, it has three gables at the front, the one in the middle housing a clock. With a splash of green here and there, looming ominously behind the bowlers’ arm, the pavilion houses another gable to the right. It is a glorious pavilion and one of the best on the circuit; if age comes before beauty, Aigburth has both. Three tiered and the centrepiece of this charming venue, it was the scene of a wonderful century by Barry Richards in 1975 before the express pace of Andy Roberts ran through the Lancastrian batting.

Steps and relatively steep seating in front lead you down to the pitch, and around the ground marquees scatter the boundary, like confetti. Offering everything from wedding venues to the Liverpool Beer Festival, this ground makes full use of its facilities with train, bus and airport links lying close by.

It was here, close to the banks of the River Mersey, that more than 7,500 crammed in to see the famous 1984 West Indians, as Gordon Greenidge warmed up for a glorious summer for him personally with 186. It also hosted a match in the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1973 and remains hugely popular as a venue.

Moving to the north of Merseyside, Trafalgar Road in Southport is another venue still in use by Lancashire. The county have signed a deal recently to play there into the considerable future, such is the popularity of this ground.

It is housed in an area rich in the history of sport – the Royal Birkdale Golf Course, occasionally the home of The Open Golf Championship, is just a Clive Lloyd pull away from the ground, while three times Grand National winner Red Rum was trained on the nearby sands.

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