Ipswich, United Kingdom - February 2, 2010 - Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club has recently taken delivery of a Ransomes Mastiff mower, after securing an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Machinery Grant. Supplied by Burrows GM of Leyland, their local Ransomes Jacobsen dealer, the new machine replaces their original Mastiff, which is over 30 years old. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.

The Club compete in the ECB Premier League of the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition and play at the Trafalgar Road ground in Sothport. They celebrated their 150th anniversary with a Cricket Week in August last year, which included victories over a strong MCC side and their original 1859 opponents, Preston CC.

The new mower, which is used to cut the outfield, was groundsman Peter Bailey’s preferred choice. He uses another Ransomes mower, a Super Certes, for preparing the square.

“I joined the Club back in 1982 after 10 years at Old Trafford and the original Mastiff was here then,” he said. “It has done sterling service for us, but it was getting very long in the tooth. The ECB grant scheme has enabled us to purchase, what to my mind, is the best cricket outfield mower available.”

Club Chairman Tony Elwood added,
"Without the ECB grant we would not have been able to replace the mower and we are grateful to them and to Burrows for providing us with such a great machine. Thirty nine First Class matches have been played on Southport and Birkdale's historic ground since 1959 and, since we aspire to host a 40th, it is essential that Peter has the best grounds maintenance equipment at his disposal and the Mastiff is an essential part of that kit."  
 
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. For more information visit: www.textron.com.