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Croft relishing run-in

Steven Croft says he and his team-mates are relishing the prospect of a hectic last two months of the season as Lancashire go in search of silverware on two fronts, starting with the LV= County Championship.

The Red Rose face reigning champions Nottinghamshire at Southport’s Trafalgar Road ground starting Tuesday knowing they could end the week top of the Division One table whatever the result.

Croft and company, fresh from last week’s pulsating win over Yorkshire at Headingley, are just five points behind leaders Durham with a game in hand, and this Southport fixture is that game in hand.

The visit of Chris Read’s men heralds the start of a vital fortnight for the county seen as third place Warwickshire visit Liverpool next week before Lancashire face Sussex Sharks in the Friends Life t20 quarter-final at Hove on August 8.

Sandwiched in between are two Clydesdale Bank 40 clashes against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham and Old Trafford.

And Croft said: “It’s getting to the exciting part of the season, which gets you through. There’s a long way to go, and a lot of important games.

“When you win, it’s a lot easier to get up for matches and stay motivated. Hopefully we can keep it that way.”

After completing a first Roses double since 1989, Lancashire will aim to do the same to Notts for the first time since 1990 having already won a cracker at Trent Bridge earlier this summer.

Ironically, Lancashire beat Notts by seven wickets at Southport that season before winning by ten wickets at Trent Bridge.

This will be Lancashire’s first visit to Southport since 1999 when they lost to Warwickshire despite 14 wickets in the match for Muttiah Muralitharan.

Southport's reputation for spin is backed up by those in the current Lancashire dressing room who have played there in the second team more recently.

“I’ve not played there for four or five years, and I’ve never played a first-class game there,” continued Croft. “But some of the lads say it takes spin, so it could be interesting.

“If we play the way we have been, there’s no reason why we can’t do well. Let’s hope it’s an exciting game.”

Nottinghamshire recently halted a run of four successive Championship defeats with a draw against Somerset, and they backed that up with a further stalemate against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl, finishing four runs short of a victory target of 202 in 72 overs on a turning pitch.

The last of those four defeats was inflicted by the Red Rose, who won by six wickets at Trent Bridge in June.

It has not been the four-day season that many expected for Read’s men, who clinched last year’s title with some final day heroics against the Red Rose at Old Trafford.

Croft commented: “They’ve had a bit of an up and down year, and maybe haven’t fired as they have done in the past.”

As Lancashire played out a comprehensive 40-over win over the Unicorns at Colwyn Bay on Sunday, news filtered through of Durham’s defeat against Somerset at Taunton, a result which boosted Lancashire’s title chances.

And Croft added: “With Durham losing, it’s looking good for us at the minute. Psychologically, it should help us. Hopefully we can keep the momentum having come off the back of a great win against Yorkshire.”

Stephen Croft was talking to Graham Hardcastle
Photo (c) PA Images
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