Luke looking for a leg up with Lancs
CRICKET
LUKE Wood is aiming big after opting to swap Nottinghamshire for Lancashire next season.
The left-arm pace bowling all-rounder admits he was spoilt for choice when deciding his next career move last month, but is confident he has made the right choice.
Wood, who turned down the opportunity to remain at Trent Bridge, said: “It was a decision made over a long period of time.
“It’s not the easiest thing leaving my home club, but Lancashire is an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.
“I’m delighted to be going there, a club with a huge calibre – similar to Notts in that sense. They’re one of the biggest in the country.
“It got to the point where I had nine counties interested in me.
“That gives you a lot of confidence and bigs up your self belief.
“I still want to win trophies. Alongside that, the opportunities I will get there made my mind up that Lancashire was the right county.”
Wood, 24, hasn’t been a regular across any format at Notts since debuting for them in 2014.
In fact, he has only made 73 first-team appearances across all forms, including time on loan at Worcestershire and Northants.
But this season has seen a breakthrough, with two Championship five-wicket hauls, including one for Notts against Yorkshire at Scarborough in the same week he signed for Lancs (August 22).
“I feel like I’ve come a long way this year,” he said.
“Going back to when I went on loan to Worcester late last season, since then I’ve played quite regularly at Worcester, Northants and at Notts. I’ve played a lot of first-team cricket. That’s been key for me, being able to work out my game.
“Notts wanted me to stay and there was other interest.
“That kind of thing spurs you on. But the chats I had with Lancashire were great.
“They can’t guarantee you cricket, obviously. That comes from form and stuff. But when you get a big county talking positively about the role they see you playing, it becomes a no-brainer.
“My style is left-arm, a swing bowler who will offer a different angle.
“I’ve shown this year that I’ve stepped up and taken on a bigger role – a main role even. In the past, that’s something I haven’t done.
“International cricket is the pinnacle.
“That’s where I want to be playing. If I get the chance to do that, great.
“Hopefully I can help Lancashire and they can me.”