Lancashire Farm-out Fixture

Sedbergh School to host Lancashire fixture

Not just an outpost or outground but also out of county. Shhhhh, don't tell the Lankies, but Sedburgh used to be in Yorkshire before the boundaries were shifted leaving it in neautral Cumbria.

Google: Sedbergh is a small town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies about 10 miles east of Kendal, 28 miles north of Lancaster and about 10 miles north of Kirkby Lonsdale. The town sits just within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Outground fixture confirmed for Durham fixture

Lancashire Cricket is delighted to announce that Sedbergh School will host the Club’s Specsavers County Championship fixture against Durham.

The match starting on Sunday 30 June will see Lancashire take first team cricket to one of the leading schools in the country for the first time.

Sedbergh School has successfully hosted a number of three-day MCCA Cumberland and Red Rose Academy fixtures over the last few years, consistently providing entertaining cricket on good quality pitches.

The Club is keen to broaden its profile in the North West in terms of increasing the reach of Lancashire Cricket through spectator support, participation, and elite performance and this fixture presents a fantastic opportunity to do just this by involving the cricket followers of North Lancashire and Cumbria.

Lancashire Cricket currently has links with the school through the Club’s Academy playing one annual 50 over fixture against Sedbergh’s First Team, whilst Lancashire age-group players Oliver Green, Evan Williams and Tom Aspinwall all currently attend Sedbergh School. Lancashire bowler Chris Sanders, who is currently studying at Loughborough, is also a former pupil.

Paul Allott, Lancashire’s Director of Cricket, said: “We’re really looking forward to taking the Durham fixture to Sedbergh School, which is regarded as one of the most picturesque grounds in the UK.

“The quality of their facilities and infrastructure is excellent and we’ve all been very impressed by the performance and record of their dedicated grounds team that Matt Merchant, the Club’s Head Groundsman, will work with throughout the summer.

“The relationship between Cumbria and Lancashire Cricket has really grown over the last 12 months and it is a link-up that we will continue to develop in the future. We believe that playing this fixture will help us to continue to grow the game in this particular region.

“With the considerable demands on Emirates Old Trafford as an ICC Cricket World Cup and Ashes venue this summer we thought it was a great opportunity to take a game there and we hope that Lancashire Members and supporters further afield from Emirates Old Trafford, including visiting fans from Durham, will have the opportunity to attend what promises to be a fantastic four-day fixture.”

Dan Harrison, Headmaster at Sedbergh School, commented: “We’re delighted to be hosting our first ever Lancashire fixture this summer.

“From an infrastructure perspective, everything will be in place come June and we are looking forward to putting on a show, for the locals, Lancashire Members and supporters, and travelling supporters from Durham.

“To be hosting Lancashire Cricket is a real privilege for the whole school and I know it’s an opportunity that all our young cricketers, and Head of Cricket Martin Speight who used to play for Durham and Sussex, will relish being involved in.”

Lancashire Cricket fully intends to look at the prospect of holding future first team matches at Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club from 2020 onwards. Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club and Lancashire Cricket remain committed to working closely together over the next 12 months as Trafalgar Road hosts the Red Rose Second XI in a One-Day Trophy fixture on Monday 29 April this season.

The Club has spent time assessing car parking, seating, catering, disabled access and the Club’s different Membership categories and will be consulting with the Members’ Representative Group to progress the communication of this and any further Member information required.

The Club will also be organising transport for the match at Sedbergh School and further details will be available in due course and shared with Members on the Club website and via email. There will be plenty of available car parking spaces only two minutes away, the price to be confirmed. Members can bring food into the ground but not alcohol and onsite hospitality will also be confirmed in the near future. A cash point is available within a five minute walk, although Members are advised to bring cash as credit card facilities may not be available at all outlets. The Club will be providing temporary tiered seats and general admission seating at the school, although there is no pavilion at the ground.