The return of first-class cricket to Southport will be good for the whole town, according to S&B chairman Andrew Carney.
Lancashire will play a four-day County Championship match against Somerset at Trafalgar Road from July 11-14 - the first top-level game to be held there since 2018.
With a 50-over Rachel Heyhoe-Flint Trophy class between NW Thunder and SE Stars taking place on Saturday, July 16, it’s going to be a week-long festival of cricket which, Mr Carney hopes, will bring benefits beyond the cricket field.
He said: “It’s great news and gives the club quite a lift.
“It really keeps us on track nicely - it’s a springboard for us attracting young talent and it helps the profile of the club that we’re hosting first-class cricket on our ground.
“It’s good for the Comp as well - and it’s good for local businesses and the economy, because people are going to be visiting Southport.
“It’s really upbeat and we’re delighted.”
It’s been a long journey in a short time since Lancashire seemed to lose faith in the Trafalgar Road pitch in 2018, when a Roses 2nd XI game had to be abandoned amid safety concerns.
But last summer saw the pitch ranked the best in the Premier Division of the Love Lane Liverpool Competition - a clear sign that things had changed.
Mr Carney said: “We changed the ground staff and brought Colin Maxwell and Adam Phillips in and said to them look, over the next few years, let’s see what we can do here.
“And it’s great that the Comp recognised this recently, when we came top of the scoring marks, so that gave Lancs a signal.
“They’ve had a chance to look at some age group cricket and a 2nd XI game against Durham, when they had a really good look.
“We seem to be in a very positive place.”
Lancashire's director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, clearly liked what he’d seen.
“He’s a terrific guy, very articulate and very respectful of what we’ve done,” added Mr Carney.
No professional women’s cricket has been played at S&B since 2010 - so the visit of Thunder is particularly exciting.
Mr Carney said: “We’re really chuffed about that - we’re flying now with the women’s sections in softball and hardball, and in the Comp it’s been really successful, so any opportunity to support the women’s game is great.”
