Lancashire Cricket Board: Lancashire are the 2011 County Champions

Lancashire are the 2011 County Champions
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John Heaton on 15/09/2011 22:05:00

Not been able to say that for 77 years

Absolutely brilliant.
What a wonderful day for everyone connected with the County Club past and
present. Yet I must say this morning as I looked at the position of the matches
at the Rosebowl and in Taunton, Lancashire were not the favourites. The fat lady
had got the piano out and was choosing the song to sing to congratulate the
likely winners of Warwickshire. But – as the old cricket saying goes “It is
not over until she starts to sing”.
Now as I told you in my blog of Tuesday night the missus and I were off to
Liverpool to see the Queen – for the second Thursday in succession. This time
is was the turn of the Queen Mary 2 to come alongside at Pier Head. This she did
most magnificently without the help of a single tug boat. She really is a
splendid ship and there were huge crowds to watch her arrive. In fact if as many
appear at the Shakers next home game they will have to shut the gates.
As we drove back home we passed by Liverpool CC’s ground at Aigburth.  I
commented on the potential disappointment today. The good lady mentioned the fat
lady and I coughed.
On arrival back at Turks Road I decided to check the internet for the dreaded
news. What I discovered was that the fat lady had re-positioned herself and was
now considering a different melody – something like “Lanky, Lanky, Lanky,
Lanky, Lancashire”.
The scorelines I saw suggested a completely different scenario to the one I had
headed off to Merseyside with. Now when you have waited so long for something as
special as this, an element of doubt still remains embedded in the psyche.
Loosely translated that means you cannot relax until the fat lady is singing out
at the top of her voice. Bob Willis may say “Lancashire are romping this”
but you still cannot accept it.
With the tele on, the computer on ball by ball from the Lancashire website, the
missus cooking the tea and me checking on the phone, it was not until Croftie
struck the winning run that I could actually believe it had happened. The fat
lady was in full voice – “Lanky, Lanky, Lanky” etc.
The reason the good lady was getting the tea ready a little earlier than normal
is because I was going off to a meeting at guess where – Old Trafford.
The meeting tonight was a Lancashire Schools Executive one. We looked back on
the 2011 season and began our plans for 2012 but there is no doubt there was a
special atmosphere.  We could all remember the many players down at Taunton from
their LSCA days.
LANCASHIRE – COUNTY CHAMPIONS
Absolutely brilliant.
Definitely worth an extra special Tesco Moment.