Lancashire: Increase in operating profit at Emirates Old Trafford

The rebuilding of Old Trafford, Lancashire's home since 1865, cost £60m, a debt which the club are still paying off

Lancashire made an operating profit of £2,387,000 for 2018 at Emirates Old Trafford - an increase on 2017.

The ground did not stage a Test match in 2018 and the team were relegated to the County Championship Division Two.

But there was a one-day international against Australia, a T20 against India, a record 22,000 tickets for the Friday night T20 Blast game against Yorkshire and a sold-out Liam Gallagher concert.

And their improved corporate facilities continue to bring in a lot of revenue.

Finance director and club secretary Lee Morgan said: "2018 yielded a positive set of financial results which demonstrated the benefits of diversifying the club's activities beyond cricket to help support our responsibility and vision to grow the game in the North West.

The club revealed last year that they were £27m in debt following the £60m redevelopment of their 154-year-old home. But Morgan has told BBC Radio Lancashire he views that as a "serviceable" debt.

With six ICC Cricket World Cup fixtures and an Ashes Test to come this summer in Manchester, the club are expecting a record year.