PRACTICAL or totally unthinkable? That's the dilemma Lancashire Cricket Club members face as the future of Old Trafford is pushed into the spotlight writes Sports Editor Peter Mensforth

Manchester City Council is considering providing the county with a new arena on the other side of town to consolidate a new Sports Village that already includes the City of Manchester Stadium -- the home of Manchester City -- and the Velodrome.

It is an exciting and imaginative prospect, but will it benefit Lancashire County Cricket Club?

It is true that the proposed 30,000-seater stadium could be used not only for Test cricket but also for a variety of other events.

Pop concerts come to mind, especially after the fuss over the Bruce Springsteen concert in the summer which was almost called off after Trafford Council became worried about prospective noise levels threatening the ears of local residents. Yet it is hardly likely that Lancashire members will want to sacrifice their spiritual home for two or three of these shows every year.

And surely there must be question marks over whether Test cricket will pull in any more fans in the new surroundings than it does now on the few occasions it comes to Old Trafford.

Over the last few years, the famous old ground has lost its standing as a regular Test match venue.

Once upon a time, never a season went by without an Old Trafford Test. Now, amid complaints of poor attendances, facilities and even the weather, Manchester is restricted to one-day internationals and the occasional Test.

The ground's last Test was in June 2002, when Sri Lanka visited. This year, there were one-day games against South Africa and Pakistan in the NatWest Series and Challenge tournaments. They have, however, been awarded one for next year when England play the Third Test against the West Indies in August.

And there would seem to be no better place or time for Lancashire cricket lovers who oppose the move to show their feelings than by turning up in their droves to watch the proceedings.

The idea for a new stadium, initiated by the City Council, still has some way to go, not only in receiving approval from the members but also winning over the committee, who over the last few years have done their best to keep the ground up to scratch.

And surely if we cannot get anywhere near to filling Old Trafford now, what is the point of moving into a 30,000 seater stadium?

It may be packed to the rafters for a visiting pop star, but whenever county cricket is played, the vast empty spaces will only echo memories of a glorious past at a famous old ground.