Warrington Town Hall commemorates Lancashire Cricket's first ever fixture
Warrington Town Hall commemorates Lancashire Cricket's first ever fixture in 1864
A cricket afternoon to commemorate the first Lancashire match, played in the grounds of Warrington Town Hall, was held on Sunday 29 September at the Town Hall to celebrate Warrington’s crucial role in the beginnings of Lancashire Cricket. While the Red Rose county now play at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, Lancashire played their first ever match in Warrington 160 years ago at Bank Park.
Warrington Cricket Club’s Bank Hall ground was chosen to host the inaugural game of Lancashire Cricket - which took place on 15-16 June 1864 - due to the town’s central location. The oldest cricket club in Cheshire, Birkenhead Park, who had previously played against the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lords and Surrey at the Oval, joined forces with the Gentlemen of Cheshire to oppose Lancashire in the match. The game ended in a draw with Lancashire scoring 169 and 78 in their two innings, while their opponents scored 143 in their first innings and were on the verge of victory being just 15 runs short of their target when play drew to a close.
A range of activities took place on the day to mark the anniversary including:
- A ‘Lancashire Cricket: Early Years’ heritage exhibition within the Town Hall showcasing objects, artefacts and portraits from the first 30 years of Lancashire Cricket's history
- A ‘meet and greet’ with ex-cricket players Barry Wood and John Abrahams, and current Lancashire Thunder player Hannah Jones
- Coaching opportunities, including batting and bowling masterclasses, by Lancashire Cricket Foundation and LiveWire
- An under 9s tournament on the front lawn in partnership with Cheshire Cricket Board
Cllr Jean Flaherty, deputy leader of Warrington Borough Council, said: “The event was a unique opportunity to celebrate Warrington's role in the rich history of one of England's greatest clubs.”.
Sandy Mitchell, Head of Heritage & Community Wellbeing at Lancashire Cricket, added: “The history and heritage of Lancashire Cricket is something we are extremely proud of and we were excited to be part of an event that helped to showcase the beginning of the club in this special and unique way.”
This unique cricket event was organised by the Friends of Warrington Town Hall, Lancashire Cricket, the Cheshire Cricket Board and Warrington Borough Council.
Listen to Andy Green from Radio Warrington talking about the event and interviewing those involved: https://www.mixcloud.com/AndyGreen990/celebrating-lancashire-cricket-clubs-first-ever-fixture-at-warringtons-bank-park-town-hall/