Blackpool CC to have a Blast with three Lancashire fixtures next year

Lancashire will return to Blackpool CC in the 2026 cricket season following confirmation of three Vitality Blast matches at Stanley Park.

The men’s and women’s teams are back on the Fylde coast next year after a trio of games in their respective 2025 campaigns.

Lancashire Women's Sophie Morris celebrates her five wickets against Durham Women at Stanley Park Photo: George Franks

placeholder image — Lancashire Women's Sophie Morris celebrates her five wickets against Durham Women at Stanley Park Photo: George Franks

Lancashire’s Rothesay County Championship Division Two match with Kent ended in a draw, while Thunder defeated Durham in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup and tied against Somerset in the Blast.

The men’s T20 competition, with Blackpool’s Steven Croft now confirmed as Lancashire’s full-time men’s head coach, sees the Lightning visiting on Sunday, June 7 for a home game against Glamorgan.

Lancashire Thunder's Mahika Gaur produced a T20 career-best of 3-15 against Somerset at Blackpool CC Photo: George Franks/Lancashire Cricket

Steven Croft's thoughts on taking Lancashire role

That will be their only home match in the group stage played away from Emirates Old Trafford, with the switch caused by county headquarters being a host venue for next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

There will be a change of format next year with the former system comprising two groups of nine teams replaced by one which uses three of six.

Lancashire are in group one, alongside Nottinghamshire Outlaws, Derbyshire Falcons, Durham, Yorkshire and Leicestershire Foxes.

Josh Bohannon was one of three Lancashire batters to reach a century against Kent at Blackpool Photo: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

They will play all five teams on a home and away basis, in addition to two ‘crossover’ matches against teams from another group.

In Lancashire’s case, that will be Glamorgan and Surrey against whom they start their campaign with a men’s and women’s double-header at the Kia Oval on May 22.

Thunder also visit Blackpool in June, when they host Hampshire Hawks on Tuesday, June 9 and Warwickshire Bears on Sunday, June 28.

The 2026 schedule also includes the first T20 Roses double-header on Friday, July 10, when the Lightning and the Thunder host Yorkshire at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire men's head coach Steven Croft

Both teams will conclude their group stage campaigns in Manchester on Sunday, July 12, hosting Durham in a fifth and final home double-header of the season.

The men’s quarter-finals are scheduled for Wednesday, July 15 before Finals Day at Edgbaston the following Saturday, July 18.

Finals Day for the women’s competition will take place the night before at the Kia Oval on Friday, July 17.

The Red Rose’s Rothesay County Championship and Metro Bank One-Day Cup fixtures will be released on Thursday.