West Indies cricket legends heading for Liverpool

Some of the greatest names in the rich history of West Indies cricket will be in Liverpool next week.

They will accompany a Barbados team playing against a Lancashire Cricket Board XI at Liverpool CC’s Aigburth home on Thursday, June 23 (2pm).

And the match will see a return to action for Lancashire and England legend Andrew Flintoff who has agreed to captain the Lancs side against the tourists.

The match is one of two games Barbados are playing to mark 50 years of independence and some of the all-time heroes of Barbados and West Indies cricket are making the trip.

Visitors to Aigburth can hope to see, and hopefully chat to, superstars like Joel Garner, Sir Wes Hall, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge and Charlie Griffith.

And on the field, more recent West Indies Internationals Ian Bradshaw, Sherwin Campbelll and Philo Wallace are in line to play alongside some of the rising stars of Barbados cricket.

Many of the younger players in the squad are winners of the prestigious Lord Gavron Scholarship Award. Since 2010 the Lancashire Cricket Board have hosted the winners of the award on season-long placements at Sefton Park CC and Wavertree CC.

Jonathan Drakes (Sefton Park CC 2015), Jerome Jones (Sefton Park CC 2014) and Aaron Jones (Wavertree 2014) are in the touring party and will be returning to Liverpool.

They will be joined by the 2016 Lord Gavron Scholarship players, Jameel Stuart (Sefton Park CC) and Chad Williams (Wavertree CC). The inclusion of these players with strong links to cricket in the city will add a strong local dimension to this unique fixture.
Garner, now President of the Barbados Cricket Association, will be remembered with Hall and Griffith as three of the most fearsome fast bowlers ever to don a West Indies Cap.
Haynes and Greenidge were the scourge of bowling attacks around the world. The pair made 6,482 runs while batting together, the highest total for a batting partnership in Test cricket history.
The match will be 40-overs-a-side with a 2pm start.
Liverpool CC will be hoisting a hospitality marquee with 160 seats available on tables of 10 at £25 a head to include afternoon tea and the opportunity to rub shoulders with the legends.
Places can be reserved at www.ticketsource.co.uk/liverpoolcc
Ground tickets can also be bought via the link or visitors can pay £5 at the gate.

Barbados squad: Joel Garner (Icon), Charles Griffith (Icon), Sir Wesley Hall (Icon), Gordon Greenidge (Icon, Desmond Haynes (Icon), Kenneth Payne (Official), Thelston Payne (Legend), Cameron Smith (Legend), Milton Small (Legend), Ezra Moseley (Legend)

Playing squad: Anthony Alleyne, Ian Bradshaw, Sherwin Campbell, Roston Chase, Jonathan Drakes, Aaron Jones, Jerome Jones, Chemar Holder, Jameel Stuart, Philo Wallace, Chad Williams.