Lancashire club wins hearts with lovely gesture after cancellation of Manchester Test

The fifth Test match between India and England was cancelled due to the unforeseen COVID scare inside the Indian camp. Fans, who had come to watch the match live at the Old Trafford Stadium, were left disappointed after it was confirmed that the final match of the series has been called off. However, Lancashire Cricket, which owns the Old Trafford ground, won the hearts of people with a sweet gesture when it decided to donate the surplus food to charities following the cancellation of the fifth Test match. This comes despite the club facing a multi-million-pound loss following the cancellation of the fifth Test. 

Lancashire Cricket released an official statement following the cancellation of the Test match, announcing that it has decided to donate all the surplus, pre-prepared food to several local charities in Manchester. The food was made for players, media guests, and other dignitaries, who were scheduled to visit the iconic ground to watch the India-England Test match on Friday. According to Lancashire Cricket, the charities that received the donation include Mustard Tree, EatWell MCR, Open Kitchen, Keeping It Real 24/7, Two Brews Homeless Charity, Community Grocery, and MGT Youth. 

"We were bitterly disappointed to learn of the cancellation this morning, however, it is comforting to know that this donation can help those who need it most. The Club had catering prepared for thousands of guests across five days and as soon as we received confirmation that the game was off, our thoughts turned to how we can quickly distribute our surplus food out into the community. Everybody at Emirates Old Trafford hopes that this small gesture can make a positive difference across our community this weekend," Lancashire Cricket Sales Director Angela Hodson said in a statement. 

What led to the cancellation of the fifth Test?

The fifth and final Test match was cancelled after India reportedly refused to field a side against England on Friday. A staff member of the touring Indian side had tested positive for COVID following the team's arrival in Manchester on Thursday. The positive result prompted Indian players to isolate themselves in their hotel rooms and undergo two COVID tests. Despite all members of the playing group returning negative results, the match was called off. In order to compensate for the significant financial loss, the BCCI and the ECB are currently negotiating to agree on a timetable for the rescheduled fifth Test match.

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