Luke in ‘good place’ for grand challenge

Photo: PICTURE by DARREN ROBINSON.

THREE OF A KIND: Lancashire head coach and director of cricket Ashley Giles (left) with Arron Lilley (centre) and Luke Procter.

LANCASHIRE’S Luke Procter says he is in a “good place” ahead of the start of the LV= County Championship season.

The 26-year-old former Oldham junior and Royton professional is confident he can make an impact for the Red Rose county and has challenged himself to score 1,000 championship runs.

Such a return would represent a turnaround for a player who appeared in only seven first class games last season.

“As a middle-order batsmen who bowls a bit, 1,000 runs and 30 wickets would be a decent season,” said Procter. “Though I was in the twos for most of last year, when I got my chance (in the first XI) I’m glad I took it.”

Last September, with his Old Trafford side stuck in a relegation battle, Procter was reclaimed for the season’s final two matches; top-scoring with 81 not out against Sussex and taking four for 50 in the ultimately unsuccessful Division One relegation shoot-out with Middlesex.

But Procter, who could line-up alongside Delph captain Arron Lilley for Lancashire, insisted that those performances will be of limited relevance to Ashley Giles’ new management set-up at Emirates Old Trafford.

“Obviously we’ve got a new coach who wasn’t here at the end of last year — he can only go off what he’s seen pre-season. My preparations have gone really well, I feel in a good place at the minute.

“I’ve been working especially hard on my bowling. I picked up rhythm at the end of last year and I’ve sustained that. With my action being different to the other seamers, you can always pick a different type of team with me in it.

“Everyone wants to be champions this year — win Division Two, we don’t want to finish anywhere but top. We feel we can beat anyone.”

Lancashire are promotion favourites and with the addition of World Cup winner James Faulkner to the squad, they look even stronger.

The Red Rose travelled to Derby on Sunday for their LV= County Championship curtain-raiser where Procter hopes to be in contention for a start.

“I hope to be involved. Championship cricket is my main focus, but I can play all forms of the game — attack when I need to and build an innings in a four-day game.”

First up, though, Procter was looking to impress in a three-day match at Emirates Old Trafford against a Leeds/Bradford University, which continued today.