LANCASHIRE’S bid for a first County Championship since 1934 begins this morning with a Mersey mission as all roads lead to Liverpool for the Red Rose.

But instead of soaking up the atmosphere of Ladies Day at Aintree, the county’s cricket heroes will be a short 10 miles away across Liverpool at picturesque Aigburth as they face Sussex in their opening game of the 2011 season.

The smart ground down by the River Mersey will see the bulk of Lancashire’s four-day games this year as Old Trafford undergoes a dramatic transformation.

While Aigburth will not be at the centre of Liverpool’s social scene today as the bronzed and dressed to kill party-goers head to the races, skipper Glen Chapple reckons his men will certainly feel at home there.

“We are used to going to Liverpool and it is good,” he said. “Last year’s game there was one of the best anyone will ever see and I think it is fair to say that we have good record on the outgrounds.

“The pitches are normally conducive to results and that’s good for the spectators – and if we are getting the results then even better.

“The fact that we believe the pitch will suit us as a team is superb.

“We’ve got a lot of positive memories from Liverpool in recent seasons. We definitely think there’s a result in the track.

“With playing away from Old Trafford this year we are looking at the out grounds as a positive for us.”

The development at Old Trafford – and ensuing legal battle – has hit Lancashire finances this year and they go into the new campaign with just one overseas player in the shape of Farveez Maharoof and a smaller squad than in recent times.

But rather than being an inconvenience, Earby’s Chapple believes that can be a good thing.

“We don’t have the big-name players that we have had in years gone by, certainly over the course of my time at club,” said the 37-year-old.

“But a lot of our lads have picked up a lot of experience now and they are maturing, both as players and as a team.”