Cricket whites

Cricket whites, also known as flannels, is the term used for the kit or uniform worn by most cricketers, and usually consists of trousers, shirt, jumper and a jockstrap with cup pocket and "box", or Protective cup.

Originally, as indicated by the name whites, flannels were exclusively white or cream. Today, many competitions (particularly in the shortened one-day version of cricket) are played in coloured kit, also known jocularly as pyjamas.

Flannels were originally made from a variety of flannel materials. Typically, modern flannels will have trousers made with a high elastic content, to prevent damage while fielding. Shirts and jumpers can be short or long-sleeved, the former being particularly favoured by bowlers. Wicketkeepers mostly wear long-sleeved shirts, in order to avoid abrasions from the grass when diving for the ball. Jumpers are traditionally made with a cable-knit design.

The term flannels is also used in baseball, especially in a historical context when the uniforms were made of wool flannel.

Flannels (retail)

Flannels, also known as The Flannels Group, is a chain of high end designer stores in the United Kingdom specialising in luxury fashion clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women. It was founded by Neil Prosser in 1976, who remains the managing director today.

As of 2014, there are eight locations including six Flannels stores open in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Nottingham, as well as Manchester’s Life store and Flannels’ Lowry Outlet store.In early 2016, a new Flannels store will open in a prime location in Plymouth.

In 2012, sportswear giant Sports Direct bought a majority 51% stake in Flannels.

History

The current managing director Neil Prosser founded Flannels in 1976 with a menswear store in Knutsford, Cheshire. After four years he opened a second outlet in Altrincham’s Goose Green to much success and the inevitable happened in 1987 when Flannels opened a store in Manchester city centre. This ‘flagship’ store introduced new labels to the city for the first time such as Giorgio Armani, Canali, Paul Smith, CP Company and Stone Island.