Westhoughton Cricket Club proud to host Lancashire 2nd XI game

Westhoughton Cricket Club host the Red Rose county's second-team one-day match against Northamptonshire, starting at 11am.

And the Lancashire team looks set to have a big local contingent of players, with teenagers Matthew Parkinson, Josh Bohannon and Haseeb Hameed expected to play along with Bury 18-year-old Harry Dearden.

Supporters are urged by the club to get down to the impressive St George's Oval ground to watch high-quality cricket on a high-class ground.

Westhoughton have by far the best ground in the Bolton League and the best facilities, the reason why Lancashire play a second-team game there each season.

Thursday's 50-over game is the one Lancs 2nd XI game a season played there, although there are hopes they could get to host two in the future.

Westhoughton are understandably proud to stage these games, and for their ground to have such a glowing reputation in the county.

The club's first team coach and team manager Jon Partington said they were hoping for a crowd of 200-300.

"It's a great honour for the club to stage these matches," he said.

"It's a wonderful facility and this is the standard of cricket that should be played on it.

"There are local lads on show in the Lancashire team and it's nice to have the opportunity to watch them play at Westhoughton.

"I would imagine there would be 200-300 people watching which would be nice. It's great to see the car park full and people on the ground because the ground deserves to have a crowd on it.

"It's just a good day for the club.

"It's the best facility in the county apart from the county ground and the other outlying county grounds.

"The groundsman Paul Tatton busts a gut to make it the best it can be and does a good job.

"We have a sprinkler system that no one else has in the county around the square to keep it in top condition.

"I love Lancashire playing at Westhoughton – of all the grounds they could play on in Lancashire they play on ours, which is great."