Our final speaker meeting of the season saw Paul Edwards and Graham Hardcastle speak about their new website “Lanky Lanky”, a relatively new subscription based website that covers all things Lancashire.
As Paul stood up to great applause he wondered whether that applause was for him standing up or Malcolm Lorimer, who introduced him, sitting down. It is important to note that this website will be independent comment, and will cover league clubs on occasions in Lancashire.
Why County Cricket? Why not regional? There were rumours circulating after the Strauss review that there were “smaller clubs” that were in danger of being excluded from first class cricket, “get rid of the weakest six” was the war cry heard. So this season past (2025) who was promoted from the second division, ahead of such clubs as Lancashire and Middlesex? Leicester and Glamorgan. The defence for not culling lies in the ECB’s opportunity for all; inclusion, diversity and equality. They are trying to attract more people into the game via this strategy and if we give them less opportunity to do so by limiting the number of places on offer, then they are defeating their own objectives, plus lessening the chance of finding the next Hameed of Bethell. Paul recommended the book on Brearley and Arlott entitled Arlott In Conversation with Mike Brearley:
“All test cricket is done well as a spectacle, but I love a County game at Neath or Ebbw Vale, hearing the players talking to each other …..”
Most cricket supporters have great loyalty to their county as well as their country, mostly due to the place they were born. (We have a L&CC society member who lives in Dudley but is a life member at Lancashire. His grandfather from Bolton when he was born enlisted him as a life member at Lancashire.) Paul fondly remembered his first county cricket match where Lancashire played Derbyshire in 1965, which took place at Trafalgar Road, home of Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club. Paul lives within walking distance of the ground and to this day it is still his favourite ground. Cricket involves community, and it is as much about passing on knowledge as much as playing and supporting a club. The example of James Anderson and Nathan Lyon being at Lancashire in 2025 must have buoyed both our seam bowlers and spinners. Lyon said for himself it was terrific to stand at mid-on and listen to Jimmy’s plans for his nest two balls. In turn they pass on their knowledge and experience. As an instance Paul quoted Ormskirk who have produced eight first class cricketers because they were coached by former professionals who passed on their wealth of knowledge.
Counter Press are the publishers responsible for the website. No local papers cover cricket anymore and the website is where you can read proper journalism about the county you love. Currently there are 16 websites facilitated by Counter Press, all county based and Paul believes it will be value for money.
Graham Hardcastle remembered his first foray abroad as a freelance reporter seeing Adrian Shankar’s biggest score in Barbados. Adrian, as we now know, was a bit of a Walter Mitty and he told Graham that he had played at Wimbledon, been on Arsenal’s books and signed for Toul Nadu (sic) and Graham reported it. A faultless introduction to his profession!
Graham has a £5 bet on Lancashire to win their league every year. He also puts £5 on them to be relegated as well! His only success has been 2011 so far, and he was overjoyed. At the beginning of that 2011 season he, along with Chris Ostick from the Manchester Evening News, got together with Malcolm Lorimer and decided that if Lancashire won the championship, not playing at Old Trafford due to the ground redevelopment, instead playing every home game at Aigburth, the home of Liverpool Cricket Club, then they would write a book. They duly diarised quite extensively every game and by the time they were at tea in the last game against Somerset at Taunton, they were still convinced that Warwickshire would beat Hampshire. But, as we all know, Croft and Brown saw us through and so the book was published, “Champions – About Bloomin Time”, is still available at all good book shops and some disreputable ones as well.
Graham is also the cricket correspondent for Yorkshire County Cricket Club as well. He recalls that in 2024, Yorkshire didn’t win their first 7 games but still won promotion. In contrast Lancashire in 2025 didn’t register a win in their first 7 games either, but the difference was that Yorkshire were in with a chance of winning in most of those games, whereas Lancashire lost 5 of their 7 games. We all know what happened next in Lancashire’s case and with the change of coach and skipper, Graham sees a good season ahead – will his £5 be safe?
Counter Press was started by Simon Moorshead who started a website about Swindon Town Football Club called The Moonraker, and it grew from there
If you wish to subscribe go to: –
Lankylanky.counterpress.media or Lankylanky.news and subscribe.
Don’t forget to obtain your 25% discount by entering Lanky Special on your application. Discount finishes on 28 March.