Tuesday 21 October 2008

Lancashire's Big Switch!

Lancashire's newly made captain Glen Chappel must be delighted about the prospect of leading out his home county for the 2009 season.

Going into his 18th year with Lancs having made his first class appearance in 1992 shows a master class of commitment and loyalty.

I think that the selectors have made a great choice and his team mates will have an enormous amount of respect for him.

Taking over at 34 hopefully Chappie, known as by his team mates, still has half a dozen years left as captain if he leaves the club at 40 like predecessor Stuart Law.

What a great achievement it is for a Skipton born Lancastrian to lead out the Red Rose county at Old Trafford.

I wish him the best of luck!

Friday 17 October 2008

Perfect setting...

With not much going on in the world of cricket, certainly at a local level, I find myself struggling to talk about a game best suited to the summer.

So, I thought a post about Lancashire's cricket grounds might bring up a talking point.

Everyone who follows cricket will probably have a favourite ground - whether it's a good place to relax or even to neck a couple of beers with a little friendly banter.

My favourite ground if for the former purpose, to relax - but I'm sure people have other reasons.

Found in Southern Lancashire, 'White Coppice' is at the foot of the West Pennine Moors - just a couple of miles drive out of Chorley.

Their Cricket Club who have adopted the same name play in the Palace Shield Division 1.

The BBC found good use of the area in 1994 filming a television series called 'Sloggers' - they probably couldn't find a better place either.

Sitting by the wooden pavillion gives you a great view across the wicket towards the lodge and a small glance to nine o'clock sees a small hamlet of houses.

Sitting behind the Wicket gives you an equally great view onto the foot of the moors.

There's really no noise, just the rush of the stream behind the pavillion and the sheep in the neighbouring field.

The only problem is midges.

Having played on there at a younger age it's not nice to have your helmet filled with midges when a bowler's running down the wicket!

Does anyone else have a favourite ground?...I think so.

For a couple of pictures of White Coppice CC take a look at the following link -
http://flickr.com/photos/timackroyd/tags/whitecoppice/