‘Every player will tell you that this is the hardest competition to win’
THE season hasn’t started yet, and Lancashire captain Dane Vilas is already having headaches!
But they are headaches every skipper wants ahead of a new county cricket season – who to leave out.
The Red Rose begin their LV= County Championship campaign against Sussex at Emirates Old Trafford today looking to mark the 10-year anniversary of their last title win with another triumph.
They go into the new-look conference structure for the Championship without Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone – who are playing in the IPL. But they will have England’s Jimmy Anderson available from round three until the first Test at the end of June, while Australian fast bowler Jackson Bird jets in to form what will be a mouthwatering new-ball partnership for that match against Kent at Canterbury.
Richard Gleeson is also out, recovering from a stress fracture he suffered last year, while new signing Luke Wells will miss a reunion with his former club Sussex today, but should have recovered from a hamstring injury suffered in pre-season for next week’s home game with Northamptonshire.
But with Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Parkinson available after winters in the Pakistan
Super League and England tours to Sri Lanka and India respectively, Vilas still has a host of tough decisions to make.
“We’re in one of those funny periods where it’s exciting, but it’s also really tricky to pick a team,” said South African Vilas, who this season is now an overseas player following Brexit.
“Those are good problems to have.
“It makes for some awkward conversations, but it shows how good our squad is.”
After a season in which they were lucky to see any cricket played, this summer is set to be hectic, with The Hundred now joining the Championship, T20 Blast and Royal London One-Day Cup.
And although there is always plenty of focus on the white ball competitions, becoming County Champions again is a major priority for Lancashire.
Said Vilas: “We always want to compete in every format we play in. But this is the real important competition for us, and the guys are excited and keen to do well.
“I think we have some exciting players who are playing some good cricket and are at a good stage in their careers now. They can really kick on.
“We want to do as well as we can, and realistically we have a good chance.
“But it’s going to be tough because we have a couple of good teams in our group.
“Every player will tell you that this is the hardest competition to win or do well in.”