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Lancashire County Cricket Club’s LV= County Championship match against Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford in June will start at the later time of 12:30pm on each day to allow more supporters the opportunity to experience first class cricket.
Both counties have worked closely with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to offer cricket lovers the chance to watch cricket later in the day for this fixture which will be played on Sunday 14 June to Wednesday 17 June.
With the majority of cricket supporters working full time or in education during the scheduled hours of play, this presents a great opportunity to showcase four-day cricket to as wide an audience as possible.
On each day of the match, play will commence at 12:30pm and is scheduled to close at 7:30pm. An extended Tea interval will be taken between 2:30pm and 3.10pm with another shorter “supper” interval occurring between 5:10pm and 5:30pm.
Ashley Giles, Cricket Director and Head Coach, said: “Championship cricket is the bedrock of our game but the hours of play are not particularly conducive to many supporters who work full time or are at school. Therefore, and to encourage as many people as possible to come down to Emirates Old Trafford, I am delighted that Leicestershire and the ECB have agreed for this change in playing hours.
“The evening sessions will run between 5:30pm and 7:30pm which will allow fans to watch what we hope will be a thrilling contest between the two counties.
“The game is close to the peak of British Summer Time which will allow the game to played later in the day. As usual, the floodlights will be available should they be required.
“To mark this moment, we will be charging an admission fee of just £5.00 for adults and £1.00 for children from 4pm on each day. LCCC Members will also be able to bring a guest free of charge for the duration of the match.”
Wasim Khan, Chief Executive of Leicestershire, added: “We think it’s a great idea that Lancashire are trying to encourage more supporters to come to LV=CC games after work. It is an area that we are considering for certain games in 2016 and so we are delighted to be involved in this pilot.”
Alan Fordham, Head of Cricket Operations, at the ECB, said: “We welcome examples such as this of counties thinking imaginatively and working together to make county cricket more accessible, and wish Lancashire and Leicestershire the best of luck for this initiative.”
Members are advised to contact the Ticket and Membership Office on 0161 282 4000, selecting option one, should they wish to claim their free Members’ guest ticket. Additional tickets can be purchased priced at £15 per day for adults if bought in advance of the fixture and £17 per day if purchased on the day.
Due to the expected increase in demand, the Club is encouraging Members to book their guest tickets early.