Croft sets sights on a new world record
STEVEN CROFT could become a world record holder if Lancashire reach this year’s Vitality Blast Finals Day.
The former Red Rose skipper has played an astonishing 143 consecutive T20 games for the county, dating back to June 2006.
That puts him third in the world record list, behind only IPL stars Suresh Raina, who has 158 for the Chennai Super Kings, and a certain Virat Kohli, who played 144 straight matches for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He has already surpassed MS Dhoni’s 137 for Chennai, but if Croft plays in all 14 of Lancashire’s Blast group games starting today against Worcestershire at Emirates Old Trafford – and a successful quarter-final, if they get there, then he will break Raina’s record at Finals Day.
“I’ll tell the team ‘If we get to Finals Day, I’ll be a world record holder and will buy you all a drink’,” said Croft, who is celebrating his benefit year at Lancashire.
“It’s a nice little milestone, and there’s some good players up there on the list with me. But I’m not sure many Indians would know my name! It would be nice to get to the top of the pile though.
“You don’t look to gain personal records in the game, you want to win things for the team. But it’s a nice little record and, hopefully, I can add another full season to it.
“It was a relatively new tournament when I first played, and I don’t think anyone knew it would develop like it has done.
“In the meantime, they’ve set up all the leagues around the world, the IPL, the Big Bash. We see each year the shots and fielding, they keep getting better.”