LOVERS of Lancashire cricket are to be given an opportunity to take home chunks of Old Trafford turf after the county's final match there on Monday Aug 17 before the whole outfield is dug up and replaced.

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Peter Marron and his ground staff will oversee the cutting and distribution free of charge, because it is unlikely that northerners would pay for such a memento. In this economic climate Lancashire have decided against attempting to emulate the Lord's sell-off in 2002, when profit from turf in boxes raised £35,000 for MCC youth cricket charities.

In a thoughtful gesture by the Lancashire club a memorial service will be led by the Rev Malcolm Lorimer for the many hundreds of people who have had their ashes scattered on the outfield over the past 150 years. "The relationship that members and supporters have with Lancashire County Cricket Club and Old Trafford often runs deeper than just cricket or location," said club official Rebecca Trbojevich today.

The NatWest Pro40 one-dayer against Middlesex Crusaders, starting at 1.45pm, will be the last match before a new state-of-the-art drainage system and outfield is installed to speed up the hitherto slow recovery time after rain, a notorious problem caused by the sponge-like quality of the existing field.

Over the years the Old Trafford outfield has seen plenty of action such as Jim Laker’s 19 wickets in a Test, Alec Stewart’s 100th hundred, the 2005 Ashes thriller, the 1971 Gillette Cup semi-final in the dark and Shane Warne’s 'Ball of the Century'.

At the completion of the Middlesex match attending spectators will have the opportunity to walk out on to the ground -- though not the square -- and have photos taken on this historic ground. They can walk home with some turf. The club have emphasised they would welcome a donation, but have no intention of pressurising their members.