Southport and Birkdale Sports and Social Club

By Paul Edwards 

Cricket lovers in Southport and the surrounding area will once again be able to watch a County Championship match in the town next summer after Lancashire announced that their four-day game against Hampshire on June 11-14 will be played at Trafalgar Road.

This is excellent news for everyone at Southport and Birkdale Sports Club and also for the local economy in difficult times – but it is hardly a great shock.

Officials at Old Trafford were very happy with the way S&B organised last year’s game against Somerset and have demonstrated their confidence in the club’s ability to run major events by awarding Southport not only a first-class match but also two second-eleven games.

The dates for the latter have yet to be announced but that slight uncertainty has done nothing to diminish the pride and pleasure of cricket club chairman Andrew Carney as he begins to make preparations for another hectic summer.

“It greatly helps our organisation of these games when we get a decision before Christmas,” said Carney. “So I was delighted to receive a call from the director of cricket, Mark Chilton, telling me Lancahire had decided to award a four-day game to both ourselves and Blackpool.

“He was very positive about last year, even suggesting that the pitch was a little too good on the last day. Next year, the game against Hampshire will start on Sunday, which is good news as far as corporate hospitality is concerned.

“In addition, we are also a couple of second-team matches, so Trafalgar Road will once again be hosting some fine weeks of county cricket in 2023. It’s a great vote of confidence in what we do and very promising for the future.”

However, Carney has no illusions about the hard work that lies ahead for both himself and the small army of volunteers whose work enables events like the County Match to run smoothly.

Last year’s game was the first Championship match at Trafalgar Road since 2018 and the club also ran its second beer festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

With both events now confirmed for 2023, next summer is certain to be no less tough and no less rewarding.

“We now know what it’s like to run two big occasions but it was pretty tough last year to come back on the county scene last summer after a four year gap,” said Carney.

“However, while it really put our volunteers through their paces, it also means we now have a team who know what it takes to run an event like this. That experience should help us, just as it did with the Beer Festival after a demanding first year.”

The game against Hampshire should also be a boost to the town’s local businesses and it appears likely that the hospitality marquee will once again be busy with corporate parties.

“The marquee will be on the ground for ten days and there will soon be opportunities for businesses to make bookings to entertain their clients or for individuals to use our facilities for that special occasion,” said Carney.

“Last year many people indicated they would like to be informed if Lancashire returned but that’s the beauty of getting that first breakthrough. It’s really good commercial business for the whole club.

“However, all this requires a huge effort from volunteers across S&B Sports Club and I’m keen to hear from new recruits who’d like to help us run what is a very rewarding event.”

But no one will shoulder a greater load nextJune than S&B’s groundsman, Colin Maxwell, whose work over the past few years has been crucial to Lancashire’s decision to return to Southport. Maxwell’s pitches have been outstanding for both county and club games and S&B recently recognised that fact by agreeing a new contract with one of the club’s most tireless employees.

“The centrepiece of any cricket match will always be the wicket,” said Carney. “It has to be of the right standard for professional sport and the good news is that we’ve been able to sit down with Colin and agree a deal that will extend both his role and his responsibilities. It’s great that he’s signed up for the future.”

Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com

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