WITH the country in its third national lockdown, 2021 promises to be another strange year of sport. However, here in the North-East, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about what the next 12 months has in store.


1 ENGLAND’S CRICKETERS RETURNS TO CHESTER-LE-STREET

England’s 2019 World Cup winning team will make their first appearance on home soil since becoming world champions when they take on Sri Lanka in the opening ODI of the summer in late June – and the game will take place at Emirates Riverside.

The North-East’s cricket fans have ben starved of top-level action in the last few years, but assuming Covid restrictions have been eased by the summer, the sight of a sold-out and hopefully sun-kissed Chester-le-Street ground will be a welcome glimpse of normality.


2 NORTH-EASTERNERS AT THE OLYMPICS

The Tokyo Olympics, held over from 2020, will be one of the highlights of the sporting year, and as ever, Team GB will contain a healthy contingent of participants from the North-East and North Yorkshire.

Harrogate’s Jack Laugher will hope to add another medal to his collection in diving, Middlesbrough’s Jo Wratten could be a medal contender in rowing, while Northumberland’s Laura Weightman was one of the stars of last season and could be one to watch in athletics.


3 THE RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP

Rugby League will be the sporting focus this autumn, with England hosting the World Cup. The North-East will play a prominent role in the competition, with St James’ Park in Newcastle staging the tournament’s opening game between England and Samoa on October 23.

A further three matches will take place at St James’, including Scotland’s pool games against Italy and Fiji, while the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough will be the venue for Tonga’s pool meeting with the Cook Islands.


4 A WEARSIDE DUO AT THE EUROS

The footballing highlight of 2021 will be the European Championships, with England drawn in a group featuring Scotland, Croatia and Czech Republic, and the semi-finals and final of the tournament due to be staged at Wembley.

Wearsiders Jordan Pickford and Jordan Henderson remain integral members of Gareth Southgate’s squad, having also featured prominently in the last World Cup in Russia. Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson could also make a late push for a squad place.


5 RETURN OF THE GREAT NORTH RUN

Of all the sporting events that fell by the wayside because of Covid in 2020, the postponement of the Great North Run was one of the most keenly felt. North-East sport certainly felt diminished in the absence of its September highlight.

Hopefully, the Great North Run will return this year for its 40th edition, with its usual heady mix of elite athletes, focused fun-runners and inspiring charity campaigners.


6 WAITING PATIENTLY TARGETS CHELTENHAM

Waiting Patiently has long threatened to be a flagship National Hunt campaigner for North Yorkshire, but the ten-year-old has suffered a succession of injury issues and was forced to miss last year’s Cheltenham Festival.

The Ruth Jefferson-trained jumper was back to his best as he finished second in the King George VI Chase at Kempton over Christmas though, and will be targeting either the Gold Cup or Ryanair Chase come March.


7 LAST SEASON’S FA VASE FINAL

This season’s FA Vase is already well under way, but because of Covid, last year’s final between Consett and Hebburn Town is still to take place.

A new date for the all-North-East encounter is still to be confirmed, but the FA remains committed to staging the match in front of supporters at Wembley. When it eventually happens, it will be a landmark moment for the Northern League and the whole of the region’s non-league game.


8 TOURING CARS AT CROFT

The visit of the British Touring Car Championship to Croft is firmly established as the highlight of the North’s motorsport calendar, and this year’s summer spectacular is due to take place on June 12-13.

Again, it is to be hoped that spectators are able to attend as normal as the event loses much of its lustre if it is staged behind-closed-doors. With fans present over the course of the twi days, it promises to be quite some weekend.


9 DURHAM WOMEN PUSH FOR PROMOTION

The North-East has long been a hotbed of women’s football, and while Sunderland Ladies might have suffered from the effects of Super League restructuring in recent seasons, Durham Women have taken over the mantle of regional torchbearers for the women’s game.

They might not have the financial muscle of Championship rivals Liverpool, Leicester and Sheffield United, but Lee Sanders’ side are currently second in the table and very much involved in the promotion picture.


10. NEWCASTLE FALCONS FLYING HIGH

Having won promotion from the Championship last season, Newcastle Falcons have taken their return to the Gallagher Premiership in their stride, winning four of their opening five matches in the current campaign.

It will be a challenge for Dean Richards’ side to maintain that kind of form, but if they can come close, a return to the European Champions Cup could be on the cards in the second half of 2021.