1 - The ground was originally home to Manchester Cricket Club, as the county side wasn’t actually founded until 1864 2 - Though the first county committee voted for Lancashire to play all round the county, the club’s first secretary, Sam Swire, was opposed to the idea and held the opinion that Old Trafford should be the ground for all matches.  | | Queues outside the 1971 Gillette Cup semi final |
3 – The first County Championship game was played at the ground on 20, 21 and 22 July 1865 against Middlesex. Lancashire won the match by 62 runs. 4 – Despite the first pavilion being built in 1857, the Victorian class distinctions meant the professionals liked to be reminded of their status by using a small room on the opposite side of the ground, simply because it was the popular side. As a result, it was only the amateurs that used the spacious dressing room and, as a result, ran out from the pavilion. 5 – In the early years, lady subscribers to Lancashire County Cricket Club weren’t allowed in the pavilion, so a tent was set up at Old Trafford to accommodate them! 6 – The first test match was held at Old Trafford on 10, 11 and 12 July 1884, where England and Australia drew. Almost inevitably, the first day was rained off.  | | In recent years, Old Trafford has hosted concerts |
7 - In the Test match at Old Trafford on 26 July to 28 July 1909, Frank Laver had what the cricket almanac Wisden described as "a great day against England", taking 8 wickets for 31 runs in the first innings. It stood as a Test record at the ground until 1956. 8 – In 1956, Old Trafford saw possibly its most famous moment, as Jim Laker became the first person to take all 10 wickets in a Test match innings; achieving figures of 10 for 53 in the fourth Test against Australia. Laker also took 9 for 37 in the first innings, ending the match with record figures of 19 for 90. 9 – In 1971, the Gillette Cup semi-final between Lancashire and Gloucestershire was completed in near-darkness. At around 8.45pm, with Lancashire needing 25 off the final 5 overs, David Hughes hit 24 off a single over and set up the victory. 10 – In 1984, Sir Vivian Richards scored an amazing 189 not out for the West Indies in a one-day international against England. 11 – In 1993, Shane Warne delivered what has been called the “ball of the century” to capture the wicket of England’s Mike Gatting.  | | Sometimes, the rain does stop play! |
12 – It’s not just famous cricketers that have earned their crust at Old Trafford. On stage at his concert at the ground in 2004, Morrissey revealed that he had worked in the box office there in his youth. 13 – During England’s successful 2005 Ashes campaign, the Old Trafford test, having been disrupted by rain, went to a fifth day. So many people turned up to watch the game that thousands had to be locked out of the ground. 14 – The ground has a County capacity of 15,000, which rises to 22,000 for Test matches thanks to the erection of temporary stands. 15 - When Sophia Gardens in Cardiff holds its first test in 2009, it will take over from Old Trafford as the wettest test cricket venue in England and Wales! | 
