8:18am Wednesday 12th August 2009
TOWN hall chiefs have smoothed the way for Westhoughton to host Lancashire County Cricket Club matches in 2011.
Lancashire’s Old Trafford headquarters is undergoing a major redevelopment which means the county will have to play most, if not all, of their 2011 games at club grounds across the region.
Liverpool and Blackpool are already used as out-grounds by Lancashire and Bolton civic leaders hope Westhoughton Cricket Club will be added to that list.
Labour Cllr Cliff Morris, the Leader of the Council, Conservative group leader Cllr John Walsh and Lib Dem group leader Cllr Roger Hayes have given the plans the green light, saying the local authority will not stand in the way of the Lancashire plans.
Cllr Morris said: “I believe Westhoughton would be an excellent venue for county cricket. It would be excellent for Westhoughton and indeed the whole borough. It would bring people into the town and be a great boost for the local economy.”
Lancashire are known to be impressed with Westhoughton’s new £2 million ground and the fact that former Old Trafford groundsman Peter Marron has been working with Westhoughton could help secure the fixtures.
Cllr Walsh said Bolton’s success at staging the Ironman UK Triathlon earlier this month proved the borough could cope with large events.
He said: “We have recently had the very successful Ironman UK Triathlon, we host Premiership football and we shipped tens of thousands of people in during the Commonwealth Games.
“I am sure there will be problems to overcome but if we get an early decision and we can work together, I am sure any problems can be overcome.
“Staging first class cricket in the borough will raise the profile of the town and the sport locally — and I would be delighted to see Lancashire play here.”
Cllr Hayes added: “I think it will be a boost to the town. It will bring people into Bolton and Westhoughton, and hopefully there will spend some money while they are here and come back again for other things.”
Talks will continue between Bolton Council, Westhoughton Cricket Club and Lancashire. A decision could be made as early as next month.
andrew.greaves@ theboltonnews.co.uk
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