Local trio get new Lanc deal

Lancashire stars Kyle Hogg (left), Luke Procter (centre) and Arron Lilley.

Cricket: LOCAL stars Luke Procter, Kyle Hogg and Arron Lilley are celebrating extensions to their deals at Lancashire County Cricket Club.

All three have signed contracts until the end of the 2015 season.

Procter and Hogg enjoyed plenty of success in Lancashire’s LV= County Championship Second Division title-winning campaign, while Lilley continued his development at Old Trafford, predominantly in the second team.

Ex-Greenfield man Hogg was the county’s Player of the Year, taking 60 Championship wickets at an average of 18.41 with a best haul of seven for 27.

He also shared an amazing day at Chelmsford, where he combined with skipper Glen Chapple to bowl out Essex for 20. Hogg chipped in with 241 runs at 21.90.

Former Royton pro and Oldham CC youth product Procter, meanwhile, cemented his place in the batting order with 718 runs at an average of 34.19. He also collected 15 wickets at 42.20 apiece.

Delph star Lilley’s first-team opportunities were limited, but he did make several second-team appearances, taking 16 wickets at a healthy average of 15 and averaging 21.20 with the bat.

No less that 12 others players agreed new deals with the Red Rose, including star bowler James Anderson.

Captain Glen Chapple (39) has signed until the end of next season alongside Oliver Newby and Andrea Agathangelou, while there were two–year contracts for a handful of fellow first–teamers.

Simon Kerrigan, who made a challenging Test debut in the final match of this summer's Ashes, was among those to commit themselves to 2015, alongside former Milnrow pro Karl Brown, Paul Horton, Stephen Parry and Tom Smith.

Academy products Jordan Clark, Alex Davies and Luis Reece signed the same deal as Lilley, while Liam Livingstone has been given a first professional contract at Old Trafford.

Lancashire's director of cricket Mike Watkinson said: "With the exception of Andrea, all the players are products of our development system, which is a great endorsement of the strength and effectiveness of the cricket played across the county.

"It also provides the squad with quality and stability as we look forward positively to the challenges ahead."


SADDLEWORTH and District League teams fared well in the draw for next season’s LCB Cup.
Four clubs – Saddleworth, Uppermill, Glodwick and Greenfield – have been drawn at home, while Heyside and new club Whalley Range, winners of the Manchester Association title in 2013, are away.

The draw involving Saddleworth League teams is –

Saddleworth v Westhoughton (Bolton League); Lowerhouse (Lancashire League) v Heyside; Uppermill v Woodbank (Lancashire County League); Glodwick v Denton West (Lancashire County League); Greenfield v Fulwood and Broughton (Palace Shield); Littleborough Lakeside (North Manchester League) v Whalley Range. . .