Lancashire will return to Blackpool CC in 2025

Stanley Park will host the men’s four-day match against Kent in division two of the Rothesay County Championship, starting on June 22.

It will be Lancashire’s only home County Championship match in 2025 to be played away from Emirates Old Trafford.

Kent have been regular visitors to the Fylde coast of late after back-to-back Metro Bank One-Day Cup matches in 2023 and 2024.

The latter was a historic occasion as Rocky Flintoff became the youngest debutant in Lancashire’s 160-year history.

Last season also saw Lancashire host Durham in a County Championship match which featured England Test skipper Ben Stokes.

The men’s match comes either side of two games featuring Lancashire’s women at Blackpool.

First up is the Metro Bank One-Day Cup match against Durham Women on May 19, followed by Lancashire Thunder’s Vitality Blast game with Somerset on July 18.

Thunder twice played at Blackpool in 2024, starting with a five-wicket win against Sunrisers when they met in the Charlotte Edwards Cup on June 9.

That was followed by an 82-run defeat against the South East Stars in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy on July 7.

Next season will be the first time in the Blast’s history that all women’s and men’s county teams will play side by side, while the women’s competition will be split into two.

One competition will be contested by eight counties from Tier One – including Lancashire – while the remaining 10 counties are in the Vitality Blast Women’s League Two.

It begins with the ‘Blast-Off weekend’ from Thursday, May 29, until Sunday June 1, with 10 double-headers taking place over that period.

Day one sees Lancashire Lightning host Worcestershire Rapids at Old Trafford in the men’s tournament, while Middlesex and Sussex Sharks will meet at Lord’s in the first double-header.

Champions Gloucester kick off their defence the following day against Kent Spitfires in Bristol.

There are three more double-headers as Hampshire Hawks face Essex, Somerset host Surrey, while Notts Outlaws and women’s counterparts, the Blaze, take on the Bears.

More double-headers follow on Saturday as Bears face Durham at Edgbaston while Lancashire come up against Notts.

The weekend finishes with five double-headers on Sunday, including Durham’s clash with Lancashire and Essex’s meeting with Somerset.

Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, said: “It is an exciting day for everyone at the club as we see the full fixture lists confirmed.

“In terms of Lancashire Women, I know that the playing squad and coaching staff are all incredibly excited by the new Tier One set-up and to play alongside the men in the Vitality Blast – and to feature in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup competition for the first time as part of this new era.

“For our men’s team to start the season with a four-day fixture at Lord’s is very special and one that we are already looking forward to and working hard towards as we strive to make our return to Division One of the County Championship.

“We are delighted to be staging six of our seven home matches in the County Championship at Emirates Old Trafford, where we feel we can prepare pitches to suit our strengths.”