Steven Croft signs new one-year contract with Lancashire Cricket
Lancashire Cricket is delighted to announce that Steven Croft has signed a new one-year contract with the Club.
Croft’s current deal was due to expire at the end of the 2022 season, but the Blackpool-born all-rounder has extended his stay with the Red Rose into a 20th year.
After joining Lancashire’s Academy in 2003, Croft was awarded a Scholarship in 2004 and made his First-Class debut for the county at Oxford University in 2005.
The 38-year-old has made 197 First-Class, 162 List-A and 209 T20 appearances during his Lancashire career and captained the Club for two seasons in 2016 and 2017.
Croft wrote his name into Red Rose folklore in 2011 when he hit the winning runs to secure Lancashire’s first County Championship title in 77 years against Somerset at Taunton.
Four years later, he steered his home-county to a maiden T20 Blast title after beating Northants Steelbacks at Edgbaston as stand-in captain.
The recent 2022 season proved to be one of Croft’s most productive individual campaigns as he picked up One-Day and 1864 Members’ Player of the Year at the End of Season Awards.
Croft achieved the feat of playing in every county fixture this summer. He struck 837 runs in the County Championship, 548 in the Vitality Blast and 385 in the Royal London Cup.
His season will be best remembered for two match winning knocks in Blackpool to twice defeat Notts, first in the Vitality Blast and then in the Royal London Cup quarter-final.
Steven Croft said: “I am just as proud to sign this contract as I was to sign my very first with the Club.
“I love playing for Lancashire and to have the opportunity to do this next year for a 20th season is a brilliant feeling, especially after what has been such an enjoyable campaign for me on a personal level.
“We had a great season as a team too and I am really excited about what this squad can achieve together. We are all hungry to go one better next season and bring trophies back to Emirates Old Trafford.”
Head Coach Glen Chapple also commented: “Crofty has been an amazing servant to Lancashire, and we are really pleased that he has committed to another season with us.
“Numbers-wise, he enjoyed one of his best seasons for the Club this year, contributing with match winning performances in all three formats throughout the summer.
“He leads by example, gives everything he’s got for his county and the leadership which he brings into the dressing room is invaluable to what we are looking to achieve.”