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Lancashire County Cricket Club
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Everything about Lancashire County Cricket Club totally explained
Lancashire County Cricket Club is one of the eighteen major county clubs which make up the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Lancashire. Its limited-overs team is called Lancashire Lightning. Lancashire have won the county championship seven times and have won 17 one day trophies. The club has been based at Old Trafford in Stretford, Trafford, since its formation in 1864; before Lancashire, the Manchester Cricket Club. Usually, one match each year is played at Liverpool and Blackpool. The club has also used other home venues in the past.
The most well known player currently on Lancashire's books is Andrew Flintoff, though he rarely plays for the county due to his England commitments. Also in the squad is the England centrally contracted James Anderson; Glen Chapple, Dominic Cork, Mohammad Yousuf, Stuart Law, Mal Loye, and Sajid Mahmood have all played international cricket. Lancashire currently has a strong team which finished as runners-up to Sussex CCC in the 2006 County Championship. Lancashire finished third in the County Championship in 2007 but could have won had they chased down 489 to beat Surrey CCC at the Oval in the final match of the season. They recorded the county's highest ever 4th innings score of 464 but lost by 24 runs.
Honours
First XI honours
- Champion County (1) - 1881; shared (3) - 1879, 1882, 1889
- County Championship (7) - 1897, 1904, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1934; shared (1) - 1950 » Division Two (1) - 2005
- Gillette/NatWest/C&G Trophy (7) - 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1990, 1996, 1998
- Sunday/National League (5) - 1969, 1970, 1989, 1998, 1999 » Division Two (1) - 2003
- Twenty20 Cup (0) -
- Benson and Hedges Cup (4) - 1984, 1990, 1995, 1996
Second XI honours
Second XI Championship (3) - 1964, 1986, 1997; shared (0) -
Second XI Trophy (0) -
Minor Counties Championship (7) - 1907, 1934, 1937, 1948, 1949, 1960, 1964; shared (0) -
Other honours
Refuge Cup (1) - 1988
Earliest cricket
The earliest known reference to cricket being played in Lancashire is a report in the 1 September 1781 edition of the Manchester Journal of a match that had been held on Brinnington Moor in August 1781.
In 1816, the Manchester Cricket Club was founded and soon became representative of Lancashire as a county in the same way that Sheffield Cricket Club and Nottingham Cricket Club represented Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire. On 23, 24 & 25 July 1849, the Sheffield and Manchester clubs played each other at Hyde Park Ground, Sheffield but the fixture was called "Yorkshire versus Lancashire". As such, it was the first match to involve a Lancashire county team and also, therefore, the first "Roses Match". Yorkshire won by 5 wickets.
In 1857, the Manchester club moved to Old Trafford, which has been the home of Lancashire cricket ever since.
Club history
Origin
Lancashire CCC was founded in 1864 when the leading members of the Manchester Cricket Club organised a meeting for the purpose of forming a county club; 13 clubs were represented at the meeting and on the 12th January 1864 Lancashire County Cricket Club was created. The club was committed to playing matches in different parts of the county to "introduce … cricket into every part of Lancashire".
Early years
The club’s first success came in 1879, when the majority of the cricket press—except for Wisden—agreed that Lancashire and Nottinghamshire were joint champions. Lancashire were undisputedly champion county in 1881 and again shared the title in 1882, again with Nottinghamshire. They also shared the title with Surrey in 1889
Controversy emerged during the 1880s; Kent and Nottinghamshire objected to the bowling actions of John Crossland and George Nash. Nottinghamshire even went as far as refusing to play against Lancashire. As well as a period of controversy and modest results for the club, the 1880s also saw the establishment of some club records. In 1885 George Kemp (later 1st Baron Rochdale) scored Lancashire’s first century in a Roses Match. In the same year Johnny Briggs and Dick Pilling set a record for the 10th wicket partnership of 173 that still stands. Lancashire’s steady progress was capped by a hat trick of championship titles between 1926 and 1928 under the captaincy of Leonard Green. In the 1926 victory, Ernest Tyldesley and Harry Makepeace each scored over 2,000 runs. In 1927, Charlie Hallows scored six centuries and the bowling attack was led by Dick Tyldesley and Ted McDonald with support from Frank Sibbles. In 1928, Frank Watson and Ernest Tyldesley scored over 2,000 runs each and George Duckworth claimed 107 victims and earned recognition as one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Year. At the end of the season Leonard Green decided to retire with a record of three successive championships and 42 wins against just 3 defeats.
Under the captaincy of Peter Eckersley, Lancashire finished second in the championship in 1929 and reclaimed the title in 1930, with 10 victories and no defeats that season. After four titles in five seasons, the early 1930s saw a number of retirements including McDonald and Dick Tyldesley in 1933 and Ernest Tyldesley in 1935, no Lancashire batsman has matched Tyldesley’s 100 centuries in first-class cricket. Lancashire won the championship outright for the last time in 1934, the same year that Len Hopwood performed the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets (a feat he repeated in 1935) and Cyril Washbrook began to work his way into the team. The captain, Peter Eckersley], retired in 1935 to become an MP. The later half of the 1930s was a period of rebuilding up until the war, with the opening partnership of Cyril Washbrook and Eddie Paynter the highlight.
With the retirement of Nigel Howard in 1954, Lancashire appointed their first professional captain, Cyril Washbrook, who would captain them for the next six years. In 1954 Geoff Pullar, Ken Grieves, and Alan Wharton all scored over 2,000 runs, whilst Brian Statham, Ken Higgs, and Tommy Greenhough all took over 100 wickets; despite this, Lancashire managed to finish only 5th. Lancashire came close to reclaiming the county championship in 1960 under a new captain, Bob Barber. five batsmen scored more than 1,000 runs in the season, and Statham, Higgs, and Greenhough all took over 100 wickets; Lancashire finished as runners up due to a poor run of form towards the end of the season: losing four and drawing two of their last six matches after topping the table in August. The following year, however, Lancashire dropped to 13th, due in part to Barber’s inexperience and Statham and Geoff Pullar’s England commitments. Things declined further in 1962, under the leadership of Joe Blackledge who had had no previous first class experience, as Lancashire dropped to 16th, winning only two matches. After a period of unrest, Brian Statham was appointed captain between 1965 and 1967 and Lancashire’s results improved. Statham retired in 1968 with 1,816 first class wickets for, a record for the club.
Limited-over success
Jack Bond became Lancashire captain in 1968 and remained in the position until 1972. During his tenure, Lancashire performed well in the championship, finishing third in 1970 and 1971. His biggest triumph as captain was the five one day trophies he secured during his five year captaincy. Farokh Engineer joined Lancashire in 1968, and Clive Lloyd joined in 1969; together Lloyd and Engineer helped establish Lancashire as one of the best one day sides in England. The silverware included a hat-trick of Gillette Cups (1970-1972) and the Sunday League twice in successive seasons (1969-1970). Mainstays of the successful one day side included Clive Lloyd, David Lloyd, Barry Wood, Harry Pilling, Frank Hayes, Peter Lever, Ken Shuttleworth, David Hughes and Jack Simmons. In the Gillette Cup semi-final against Gloucestershire in 1971, David Hughes walked to the crease at 8.45pm and hit 24 from an over in near darkness to win the match. David Lloyd was captain from 1973 to 1977 and secured Lancashire’s fourth Gillette Cup in 1975, and coming runners up in 1974 and 1976. However, in the late 1970s, the team that had been so dominant in the one day format of the game began to break up. Despite boasting international players such as Lloyd and Engineer, Lancashire’s first class performances never matched the success of the limited overs team.
It wasn’t until 1984, under John Abrahams, won more silverware—this time in the Benson & Hedges Cup. Despite a resurgence in limited overs matches, Lancashire finished in the bottom six of the county championship. After the 1986 Nat West Trophy Final defeat and in their place David Hughes was appointed captain. Towards the end of the 1980s, Lancashire’s side began to develop, with Graeme Fowler and Gehan Mendis building a productive opening partnership, David Hughes and Neil Fairbrother provided support; the bowlers were led by Patrick Patterson and Paul Allott with support from David Hughes, Mike Watkinson, and Jack Simmons. In 1987, Lancashire finished second in the championship, their highest position in 27 years. Mike Atherton made his Lancashire debut in 1987—scoring 600 hundred runs in the second half of the season—and Wasim Akram made his Lancashire debut in 1988. The team won the Refuge Cup final against Warwickshire in 1988, and won the Sunday League on the last day of the season in 1989 on finished 4th in the championship. At the age of 48, in 1989 Jack Simmons retired after having taken 985 first class wickets for the county.
With 16 major one-day titles (plus winning the National League Division Two in 2003,making it technically 17),Lancashire are the most successful county side in England.The only one-day trophy that still eludes them is the Twenty20 Cup;they finished runners-up in 2005.
New century
The team that had been so successful in the 1990s began to break up at the start of the 2000s. Despite this, Lancashire managed to finish second in the county championship in 2000. Lancashire’s one day form began to fluctuate in 2000, losing to Gloucestershire in the semi-finals of both the B&H Cup and the NatWest Trophy, and being relegated in the National League. In 2001, Lancashire avoided relegation by just 5 points and no promotion in the National Leagure. 2001 saw the retirement of Ian Austin from first class cricket and of Mike Atherton from all forms of cricket. John Crawley left the club in the winter after not being retained as captain. Between 2001 and 2002 saw the squad change significantly, with players recruited from Essex, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire, and Yorkshire; the most notable additions to the squad were Stuart Law and David Byas—the Yorkshire captain of the previous season. After a quiet 2001 season—finishing mid table in the county championship and again failing to secure promotion in the National League—2002 was far more encouraging. Stuart Law and Alec Swann both scored over 1,000 first class runs and Peter Martin and Glen Chapple both took more than 50 wickets; the find of the season was that of James Anderson, who bust onto the scene with 50 wickets in the second half of the season, earning him a promotion to the England side. At the end of the season, Lancashire stalwarts Neil Fairbrother and Graeme Lloyd retired.
2003 was a promising year, and Lancashire were genuine contenders for the county championship. Mark Chilton, Carl Hooper and Mal Loye all scored over 1,000 runs and Stuart Law was player of the year with 1,820 runs. Altogether, 28 championship centuries were scored for Lancashire, the second highest total in a season for Lancashire. Gary Keedy was lead wicket taker with 60 wickets, supported by Martin and Chapple who took 41 and 49 wickets respectively. They earned promotion from the second division of the National League, lost in the semi-final of the C&G Trophy, and finished second in the county championship.
Future prospects
Lancashire's failure to win the County Championship outright since the war still rankles with their passionate supporters; however, Lancashire remain among the favourites for any one-day competition, and the leagues of the 'Red Rose' county continue to be a fertile breeding ground for young talent in the game. Lancashire remain perennial favourites in most competitions, though have not yet achieved their full potential.
Ground
Since its formation Lancashire has played its home matches at Old Trafford, located in Stretford, to the west of Manchester city centre. Old Trafford is one of the largest cricket venues in the United Kingdom, and has played host to international matches since 1884.
In recent years, the club has considered moving to a new ground, with sites in East Manchester and Wigan discussed, but following a long period of discussions and rumours the club decided to remain at Old Trafford, which it hopes to redevelop. The need for an improved ground was highlighted when Old Trafford lost out to Cardiff as a venue for the 2009 Ashes, much to the disappointment of cricket fans in the region. A financial plan is awaited for the redevelopment, costed at £30m. Lancashire matches are also occasionally played at Stanley Park, Blackpool and Aigburth, Liverpool.
Players
Current squad
Players with international caps are listed in bold.
Notable players
England
Paul Allott
James Anderson
Mike Atherton
Dick Barlow
Syd Barnes
Jack Bond
Walter Brearley
Johnny Briggs
John Crawley
Harry Dean
George Duckworth
Neil Fairbrother
Andrew Flintoff
Charlie Hallows
Frank Hayes
Andy Hayhurst
Warren Hegg
A N Hornby
David Hughes
Peter Lever
David Lloyd
Archie MacLaren
Sajid Mahmood
Harry Makepeace
Arthur Mold
Cec Parkin
Eddie Paynter
Dick Pilling
Harry Pilling
Geoff Pullar
Jack Simmons
Reggie Spooner
Brian Statham
A G Steel
Roy Tattersall
Dick Tyldesley
Ernest Tyldesley
Johnny Tyldesley
Cyril Washbrook
Alexander Watson
Frank Watson
Barry Wood
Australia
Ted McDonald
Stuart Law
Andrew Symonds
Brad Hodge
India
Farokh Engineer
Sourav Ganguly
Pakistan
Wasim Akram
Mohammad Yousuf
Sri Lanka
Muttiah Muralitharan
West Indies
Michael Holding
Clive Lloyd
Records
Player records
Batting
Bowling
Wicket-keeping
Most first-class runs for Lancashire
Qualification - 20000 runs
Most first-class wickets for Lancashire
Qualification - 1000 wickets
Facts and feats
Dick Barlow carried his bat for just 5* out of Lancashire's total of 69 in two and a half hours against Nottinghamshire on a treacherous, rain-affected Trent Bridge pitch in July 1882. Barlow and his long time opening partner Hornby are the opening batsmen immortalised in the famous poem by Francis Thompson.
Eddie Paynter scored 322 in five hours for Lancashire against Sussex CCC at Hove in 1937 having come down on the sleeper train from the victorious Old Trafford Test against New Zealand. He put on 268 in 155 minutes with Cyril Washbrook and celebrated his innings that evening at Brighton's Ice Palace.
Lancashire County Cricket Club came runners-up in all four competitions in three seasons from 2004-2006 without winning one. In 2004, they came runners-up to Glamorgan in the Totesport League. In 2005, they came runners-up to Somerset in the Twenty20 Cup. In 2006, they came runners-up to Sussex in both the Liverpool Victoria County Championship and the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.
Team totals
Highest Total For - 863 v Surrey at The Oval, London 1990
Highest Total Against - 707-9d by Surrey at The Oval, London 1990
Lowest Total For - 25 v Derbyshire at Old Trafford, Manchester 1871
Lowest Total Against - 22 by Glamorgan at Aigburth, Liverpool 1924
Partnership record for each wicket
Further Information
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