I have been covering local cricket – for the Liverpool Echo, and later for Merseyside Cricket Online – since 2018.

In that time, I’ve told stories that have been read around the world, watched some incredible games and made a lot of friends (plus a few enemies).

It’s been a blast. And I want it to carry on.

But here’s where reality kicks in.

Covering the game to a level I’m happy with takes an awful lot of time, effort and expense. I’ve been supported by a lot of you in the form of donations, and by the Liverpool Competition, Academy North and Westcoast Workwear. I’m incredibly grateful for all of it.

The fact is though, I need my coverage to start paying for itself throughout the summer.

I have a full-time job and plenty of other commitments, and it’s getting hard to justify spending so much time doing something just for the love of it.

Which is why I’ve made the decision to move Merseyside Cricket Online over to Substack, and start charging for subscriptions.

For £3.50 a month, or £21 for 12 months, you will have full access to everything I write, plus articles and features from my team of contributors.

Most of the feedback I’ve had from readers over the years suggests you think I’m good at what I do; the ECB Domestic Cricket Journalism Awards panels have agreed over the years as well.

So I hope a lot of you are willing to come with me, and chip in the cost of a small coffee a month to help keep me going.

If you’re not, that is up to you and I don’t want to exclude you totally. Some articles will be free to everyone, and my work will still appear behind the old-school paywall in the Echo.

The sun is out, the clocks go forward soon and I for one can’t wait for the new season. Go to https://merseysidecricket.substack.com/ and join me there.

Cheers,

Tom