Lancashire Academy to join League
County side admitted for 2010
Lancashire's Steven Croft in action for Blackpool |
Lancashire will field an Academy side in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League in 2010.
The county's application to join the league was approved by member clubs at a meeting held at Carnforth CC last evening (Monday).
Lancashire Academy will play one league game against each member club, all away from home during the 2010 season.
The application has been approved on an initial one-year trial basis.
The move mirrors developments in other counties with for example Yorkshire and Durham fielding academy sides in their respective Premier Cricket Leagues.
A working party will be set up to determine how the league points will be structured with Lancashire not playing home and away games.
League chairman Norman Poole said: Lancashire's Cricket Director Mike Watkinson identified our league as the one where he would like to field an academy side based around the county's most promising players.
This move will enable the young players to test themselves in a competitive league environment on good pitches and against strong teams.
The league has an excellent track record of producing fine cricketers, many of whom have gone on to represent the counties and forge a career in first-class cricket, some going on to play for England.
In recent years Andrew Flintoff, Tom Smith, Steven Croft and James Anyon are four obvious examples and there are many more. Going around the league it is very gratifying to see so many young players being given their opportunity to not only play first-team cricket but participate fully in the game.
Young players often occupy the first few batting positions or get opportunities to bowl.
At Leyland Henry Thompson and Tom Foster are two 16-year-olds who fall into this category and there is 15-year-old Liam Livingstone at Barrow and Charlie Swarbrick at Lancaster for example. At Netherfield John Huck and Alex Atkinson both bat in the top five which is tremendous.
Lancashire's move benefits the league in raising the profile and it will be a great opportunity for clubs to play against the county's most promising players. There is an added benefit in that young players at our league clubs will be hoping to come to the notice of county officials.
We look forward to working with Mike Watkinson and his staff at Old Trafford to make this exciting development a success.
Leyland's Henry Thompson with club skipper and ex Lancashire player David Makinson |
