As England and South Africa roll up to Old Trafford for the second Test, there is more on Lancashire members’ minds than the near sell‑outs of the first three days, or the recent releases of sewage into the nearby River Mersey.
The last Test scheduled for Old Trafford, in September 2021, ended before it had begun in an atmosphere of some acrimony, after India pulled the plug following fears of a Covid outbreak in the camp. The 2022 Test also takes place with discontent bubbling – though this time the focus is on the England and Wales Cricket Board’s high-performance review led by Sir Andrew Strauss, and its possible repercussions for the County Championship.