Essex vs Lancashire Vitality Blast fixtures are primarily contested at Old Trafford in Manchester, a venue that has hosted 76 T20 Blast matches since the league's inception in 2014. As the home ground for Lancashire, Old Trafford serves as the central stage for this head-to-head rivalry within the English domestic circuit.

Essex vs Lancashire Vitality Blast all matches. Photo: Øyvind Vik / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

Overview

Old Trafford has hosted 76 T20 Blast matches since the first recorded game on 17 May 2014. The most recent fixture in the dataset took place on 29 May 2026, demonstrating the venue's continued relevance in the county circuit. Lancashire is the most active team at this ground, having participated in all 76 matches listed in the record. This high frequency of play establishes Old Trafford as a key venue for understanding Lancashire's home performance metrics and their head-to-head dynamics against visiting counties like Essex.

The pitch and conditions at Old Trafford have produced a wide range of scoring environments. The highest team total recorded at the venue is 236/6, achieved by Yorkshire on 11 July 2025. This innings highlights the potential for high-scoring encounters when the ball behaves favorably. In contrast, the lowest team total is 53/10, bowled out by Worcestershire on 24 June 2016, illustrating the batting challenges posed by the surface on certain days. These extremes define the strategic adjustments required by captains and players competing at this Manchester ground.

Venue Records at Old Trafford

Venue Records at Old Trafford

The statistical profile of Old Trafford is defined by Lancashire, who have contested all 76 T20 Blast matches held at the ground since the venue's first fixture on 2014-05-17. The most recent contest took place on 2026-05-29, continuing the county's long-standing tenure at the Manchester stadium. These figures establish Lancashire as the sole and most active team in the venue's T20 Blast history.

Offensive milestones at the ground are anchored by Yorkshire's dominant performance against Lancashire on 2025-07-11. The visitors posted the highest team total recorded at Old Trafford, reaching 236/6. This innings was driven by JM Bairstow, who scored the highest individual batting score at the venue with 116 runs. The match on 2025-07-11 thus holds dual significance for both team and individual batting records.

Conversely, the lowest team total at Old Trafford occurred during a contest between Worcestershire and Lancashire on 2016-06-24. Worcestershire were bowled out for just 53 runs, setting the benchmark for the lowest aggregate score at the ground. This performance highlights the varying pitch conditions that have influenced team totals over the years.

What are the key batting records in this matchup?

Offensive milestones at the ground are anchored by JM Bairstow's highest individual batting score of 116, achieved on 2025-07-11. This performance was the cornerstone of Yorkshire's highest team total of 236/6 at Old Trafford, also recorded on 2025-07-11. The 236/6 aggregate stands as the peak scoring output among the 76 T20 Blast matches held at the venue between 2014-05-17 and 2026-05-29.

The batting conditions at Old Trafford present a stark contrast when examining the lowest team total. Worcestershire were bowled out for 53/10 on 2016-06-24, establishing the floor for scoring potential in the Vitality Blast at this Manchester ground. The gap between the 236/6 high and the 53/10 low illustrates the variability of the pitch for batsmen across the 12-year span of recorded data.

Bowling milestones and best figures

Among the most dominant bowling performances recorded at Old Trafford, CJ Green’s figures of 5/11 stand out as the best individual effort in the venue’s T20 Blast history. Achieved on 2024-06-02, this spell represents the statistical ceiling for wicket-taking efficiency and economy combined, setting a high benchmark for both pacers and spinners contesting matches in Manchester.

The rarity of a five-wicket haul in the T20 format is amplified by the specific conditions at this ground. With 76 matches played between 2014 and 2026, the pitch has seen varied batting outputs, ranging from the highest team total of 236/6 by Yorkshire to the lowest of 53/10 by Worcestershire. Green’s ability to claim five wickets for just 11 runs demonstrates exceptional control, effectively neutralizing the batting lineup during a period where the surface may have offered assistance to bowlers.

These figures provide a critical reference point for analysts evaluating bowling strategies at Old Trafford. While batting records such as JM Bairstow’s 116 on 2025-07-11 highlight the ground’s capacity for high-scoring encounters, Green’s performance underscores the potential for bowlers to seize dominance. The contrast between the highest individual score and the best bowling figures illustrates the dual nature of T20 Blast cricket at this venue, where matches can swing dramatically based on individual brilliance.

Match history and frequency

Old Trafford has served as a consistent venue for T20 Blast action since the competition's early years. The statistical record spans from the first match played on 2014-05-17 through to the most recent fixture on 2026-05-29. Over this period, the ground has hosted a total of 76 matches, establishing it as a key location for county cricket in the Manchester area. The frequency of games reflects the venue's importance to the league structure and the scheduling patterns of the participating teams.

Lancashire stands out as the most active team at this venue, having played in all 76 matches recorded in the dataset. This dominance in appearance count highlights the home advantage held by the county side at Old Trafford. The sheer volume of games played by Lancashire provides a robust sample size for analyzing team performance trends over more than a decade of T20 Blast history. Other counties have visited regularly, but none have matched the consistency of the home side's presence on the schedule.

The timeline of matches at Old Trafford shows a steady accumulation of games from 2014 to 2026. This long-running series of fixtures allows for meaningful comparisons between early-season performances and more recent outcomes. The data covers multiple seasons, capturing changes in team compositions and tactical approaches over time. Analysts can use this extensive match history to evaluate how different teams have adapted to the specific conditions found at the Manchester ground.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest team total recorded at Old Trafford in the T20 Blast?

Who holds the record for the highest individual batting score at this venue?

JM Bairstow holds the record with a score of 116, achieved on 11 July 2025.

What are the best bowling figures recorded at Old Trafford?

The best bowling figures at the venue are 5/11, bowled by CJ Green on 2 June 2024.

When was the first T20 Blast match played at Old Trafford?

The first T20 Blast match at Old Trafford took place on 17 May 2014.

How many T20 Blast matches have been hosted at Old Trafford?

Old Trafford has hosted a total of 76 T20 Blast matches, with the most recent occurring on 29 May 2026.

Summary

Old Trafford has hosted 76 T20 Blast matches since 17 May 2014, with Lancashire being the most active team at the venue. The highest team total is 236/6 by Yorkshire, while the lowest is 53/10 by Worcestershire.

Key individual records include JM Bairstow's highest score of 116 and CJ Green's best bowling figures of 5/11. The most recent match at the venue was played on 29 May 2026.

See also