Croft signs new deal with Lancashire

Lancashire vice-captain Steven Croft is the latest Lancashire player to agree a new contract with the Club this week.

Croft captained Lancashire for the majority of the 2014 season after Tom Smith suffered a reoccurring problem with his back. The Club captain only played one LV= County Championship game against Derbyshire, the first game of the season, which meant Croft had to take over as skipper for virtually the entire campaign.

He did a terrific job, guiding Lancashire to their first Twenty20 trophy at Edgbaston, as well as helping the Red Rose County to secure promotion back to the first division of the four-day format. Croft was Lancashire's leading run-scorer in the T20 Blast, scoring 478 runs at an average of 43.45.

A tremendous T20 campaign included a career-best knock of 94 not out against Derbyshire and a memorable performance against holders, Birmingham Bears, on the ground which Lancashire would eventually lift the T20 trophy. In that fixture, Croft hit 64 not out, took two wickets - including the prized scalp of Brendon McCullum - and he also took a stunning catch at backward point to remove Laurie Evans.

His efforts were by no means contained to white-ball cricket. Croft also scored 874 runs in the County Championship, hitting six fifties and two centuries in the process. His tally for the four-day campaign was second only to Ashwell Prince (1,478) and Croft - along with Prince - was one of only two Lancashire players to feature in every single game in 2015.

Director of Cricket and Head Coach Ashley Giles, said: "Crofty has done a terrific job in leading the team on the field in the absence of Tom this year. He's led by example and his performances have been outstanding, especially in the Natwest T20 Blast."

"I'm very proud and delighted to have signed a new contract with the Club I love," Croft said.

"I want to help us win more trophies. We want to be the first club to defend the Natwest T20 Blast and challenge back in the top division of the LV= County Championship.

"It's a really exciting time to be part of this Club and it's great to see the talent in the changing room, particularly with some of the younger guys signing new contracts as well."

Croft is the fifth player to have committed their future to Lancashire this week, with Stephen Parry signing a new long term deal only yesterday. Seam trio Kyle Jarvis, Tom Bailey and Gavin Griffiths also renewed their contracts at Lancashire earlier this week.