Lancashire set to return to Blackpool in cricket's Royal London Cup

The Red Rose is due to return to Blackpool after a three-year absence for the 50-over fixture against Worcestershire in the Royal London Cup on Sunday, August 8.

The counties were due to meet at Blackpool in the same competition last July but the pandemic saw the 2020 tournament scrapped.

It is the only Lancashire home fixture of 2021 fixed for any ground other than Emirates Old Trafford, though a venue for the Royal London Cup opener against Sussex is yet to be confirmed.

The other two Red Rose home matches in this nine-team group will at EOT headquarters, against Middlesex (August 3) and Essex (August 12).

This will be the fifth time Stanley Park has staged a Lancashire match in the tournament since its launch in 2014. The previous four have brought wins over Derbyshire and Middlesex, and abandonments against Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire.

Blackpool Cricket Club's Northern Premier League season is tentatively scheduled to begin at Stanley Park against Fulwood and Broughton on April 17.

The NPL and Palace Shield are both earmarked to begin on that date. Last year these two leagues joined forces, making the best of the Covid situation to stage a two-month competition in which Blackpool emerged triumphant.

Both leagues hope to stage a more conventional season this year but a statement by the Palace Shield executive acknowledges that everything remains uncertain.

It reads: "The start of the season is planned for Saturday April 17. No-one is quite sure what the position will be at that time so we should continue to work towards that date with the intention of starting the league season.

"After having to abandon the league programme last season, the exec are very keen that we have a league season in 2021 and remain as close as possible to the normal regulations.

"However, we do realise there is a possibility that the schedule of league matches could well be disrupted.... we may well have a delay to the start of the season."

The statement adds that clubs may again have to begin the season at short notice and manage restrictions, such as changing rooms and clubhouses being out of bounds.

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