Love of county keeps Parry pushing

CRICKET CHRIS OSTICK IN April 2007, a young left-arm spinner claimed five wickets on his first-class debut playing for Lancashire against Durham University.

At Southport on Monday – 10 years later – he claimed his second.

In between, Stephen Parry has become one of the best one-day bowlers in the country, played for England in a World Cup and helped the Red Rose to NatWest T20 Blast glory.

But he has also been left frustrated at his lack of opportunity in red ball cricket as first Gary Keedy and then Simon Kerrigan blocked his path.

But this season, at the age of 31, he has been given the nod by new head coach Glen Chapple.

And he is showing what he can do, with a string of solid displays topped off with his maiden fivewicket haul in the Championship to help Lancashire beat Middlesex.

With such a lack of first-team chances, many players would have been looking for a move.

And Parry admits he has thought about it – especially after he came back from playing in the T20 World Cup with England to be faced with second team cricket.

But there was one over-riding reason why the former Audenshaw High School pupil stayed at Emirates Old Trafford.

“My love of the county is why I never left,” Parry said. “I grew up watching Lancashire, I have been coming to Old Trafford since I was a kid and even now when I drive through those gates I am happy to be here. I could have gone elsewhere, but I stuck by it and I am getting rewarded now. You may think the grass is greener somewhere else, I have had some tough times, when I played for England and then came back and was in the second team.

“That was really tricky. But I managed to get through that.

“I am still young as a spinner, and that’s what is exciting. I can still be a really strong player for Lancashire for several more years.”