Liverpool CC can tap into a hidden hotbed of cricket fans when Lancashire come to town in the summer, according to outgoing club skipper Matty Jackson.

Aigburth will host the Red Rose men’s side in two Metro Bank One-Day Cup games against Durham and Warwickshire on August 20 and 22.

Jackson believes the combination of a shorter format and better timing makes it an unmissable opportunity for both the club and the city as a whole.

He said: “In some respects, having the two white-ball games could be better.

“With it being in the school holidays, you’re probably looking at having that appeal to people who maybe wouldn’t be interested in a four-day game. It presents a massive opportunity for people to come and watch.

“Something that always surprises me is the number of people who ask about Lancs, or who go and watch, who I had no idea had an interest in cricket. 

“When I’ve been down there, I’ve seen people I know through other areas of my life and I wouldn’t have thought for a minute they’d be paying to watch cricket. 

“I think maybe we don’t realise how many people are cricket lovers who don’t play. 

“There is a whole bracket of people who we don’t come across – having it in the city is bigger than we realise, there’s a lot more people out there who are really keen on it.”

—

It will be the first time the senior county side have played in the city since September 2021’s thrilling County Championship closer against Hampshire, which Lancs won by one wicket.

The county’s last 50-over game at Aigburth was a six-wicket defeat to Northamptonshire in May 2017; with the exception of a closed-doors win over Derbyshire in the Covid summer, the last white ball clash was against Leicestershire, also in 2017.

Jackson hopes the latter, played in sunny July and decided with a six off the last ball by the visitors’ Colin Ackermann, is the template for this year’s games.

He added: “The last time we had a white ball game it was incredible, we had thousands of people in there – I sat out by the tennis courts and the atmosphere was brilliant. 

“It’s great that it’s white ball games, it gives us a different opportunity.

“Not just for the club, for the whole cricket community locally, it’s a massive thing.”

—

Lancashire’s absence from the second biggest city in its catchment area has been a strange one. 

Other grounds, notably Southport & Birkdale, are available and put on an excellent show – but in terms of growing the game and reaching that coveted new audience, a sports-mad population of half a million can’t be ignored for long.

“For the years they haven’t been there, I’ve had so many people asking me about when they’d be back,” said Jackson.

“It’s massive for everyone and obviously as a club we are delighted.”

It is impossible to mention the one-day cup without dipping a toe in the curdling water of domestic cricket’s current culture war, the Hundred.

The Manchester Originals have eminent domain over Emirates Old Trafford for the summer holidays; they will also have first dibs on the big-name players.

But Jackson believes that won’t matter to Liverpool’s cricket public, who will be pleased to have the medium-sized names back in town.

He added: “These are the games that it makes sense to have at Liverpool. 

“A lot of the big names may be in the Hundred but I think you’ll see how big the demand is to watch professional cricket in the city. 

“I think a lot of people will come down and watch, which is great for the club – but it’s great for Lancs as well.”