Why must it always rain on Lancashire

Over the last few weeks it seemed as if Lancashire’s 72-year wait for a Championship title might be nearing an end, but once gain they just failed to do enough and the crown instead headed down to Hove.

In The Guardian, Colin Shindler, who watches more Lancashire games than most, looked back at the season and its unsatisfactory end.

It was somehow appropriate that Lancashire's season expired at the Rose Bowl in circumstances of pure farce. It was symbolic of a season that promised so much and delivered, again, so little. On Friday we had stared mournfully as the rainwater collected in gloomy puddles on the covers. On Saturday we had the unedifying spectacle of Hampshire bowling virtually unplayable "moon" balls at Lancashire batsmen who were too embarrassed to acknowledge the conventional landmarks of their innings.

But whereas many spluttered and moaned that Lancashire’s failure this time was down to the weather – and they were hit by more than their fair share of rain-blighted games – Shindler is unconvinced.

It also rains quite frequently on the other side of the Pennines but everyone knows that Yorkshire's failure to win the championship more than once since 1968 is because they have had some poor teams and a divided club. It is about time the inept Lancashire committee stood up and admitted as much. Instead they can only splutter that the ECB has taken away their Test match.