Paul Allott explains why Blackpool Cricket Club cannot host Lancashire first XI in 2019

Lancashire director of cricket Paul Allott has outlined the ongoing issues which have prevented Blackpool Cricket Club from staging a first XI county game in 2019.
By Andy Moore
Published 14th Mar 2019, 13:48 BST
Updated 14th Mar 2019, 14:58 BST
Blackpool's Stanley Park will not play host to Lancashire's senior side this yearBlackpool's Stanley Park will not play host to Lancashire's senior side this year
Blackpool's Stanley Park will not play host to Lancashire's senior side this year

Lancashire director of cricket Paul Allott has outlined the ongoing issues which have prevented Blackpool Cricket Club from staging a first XI county game in 2019.Having hosted a senior fixture in the Royal London One Day Cup for each of the last four years, Stanley Park must this year settle for four limited overs games involving Lancashire’s Second XI. The Red Rose will play all RLOD Cup home games at Old Trafford this year, though World Cup commitments mean Lancashire are to switch two Specsavers County Championship Second Division games to outgrounds in June.Sedbergh School in Cumbria is the controversial choice to stage the second of these, against Durham, after first-choice outground Liverpool CC hosts the four-dayer against Leicestershire at the start of the month. Explaining the choice of Sedbergh, which becomes Lancashire’s first new outground since Lytham CC in 1985, Allott was highly critical of Southport CC and also revealed why Blackpool was not considered for a four-day fixture.He told the Manchester Evening News: “Blackpool has its own challenges in terms of drainage, which is poor at the moment, and we are not sure we can get a pitch there that will last four days.“And the infrastructure –dressing rooms etcetera – is not up to first-class standard, so we can’t go there.”James Anderson and Keaton Jennings will both be available for Lancashire’s opening County Championship games away to Middlesex, starting on Thursday, April 11.England have made both available for the Lord’s match, though fellow international Jos Buttler cannot play as he will be with Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.