Player Profile

Tom Bailey, a graduate of Lancashire’s Academy and Scholarship programmes, has become a linchpin member of the club's bowling attack in County Championship cricket in particular, highlighted by a couple of impending milestones.

Bailey’s first Championship appearance of 2024 will be the 100th of his career in first-class cricket. And, given he starts the season on 359 wickets, it would be no surprise at all to see him pass the 400-mark by the time the campaign is done. 

Bailey, aged 32, was Lancashire’s leading Championship wicket-taker in 2023 with 50, including a best of 6-59. 

The tall seamer has now taken 50 or more first-class wickets in a single season on four occasions in his career; 2018 (64), 2021 (51) and 2022 (52).

In 2018, Bailey finished as the leading wicket-taker in Division One, despite relegation for the county. 

His career best haul of 7-37 came during the season-ending Championship win over Hampshire at Liverpool in 2021 when it oh so nearly clinched the Red Rose the title. They went top of the table, only for Warwickshire to pip them to the post with a win the following day.

In a team full of experienced, high-quality seam bowlers, Bailey’s improvements have seen him become one of the county’s go-to bowlers, one who has also gained England Lions recognition and has by no means given up on a senior Test call. 

Look at Australia’s Scott Boland, who debuted less than five months short of his 33rd birthday in late 2021, for example. Bailey is two years younger than his fellow seamer.

Despite making his first-class debut in the closing stages of 2012, the right-armer was subject to a bit-part role until a late-summer 10-wicket haul in defeat against Middlesex at Lord's in 2017 proved the catalyst for the aforementioned excellence which has followed.

He claimed five wickets in each innings, finishing with match figures of 10-98.

After that 2012 debut - against Surrey in the Championship at Liverpool - he had to be patient for his next chance, which came towards the end of 2014 following an encouraging run of form in one-day cricket, taking seven wickets in four 50-over matches, including a wicket with the sixth ball of his career against Essex at Chelmsford.

After an encouraging end to that season, he was given a longer run in 2015 as Lancashire successfully claimed Championship promotion from Division Two.

He claimed a career best 5-12 as Leicestershire were bowled out for just 78 in the second innings of a landslide win at Grace Road, while he also contributed to Lancashire’s T20 Blast title success that summer.

Bailey’s 2016 campaign was heavily disrupted by a side injury, ruling him out of action for the best part of two months, but he made an impressive return in three Championship matches, taking 12 wickets.

His 5-111 against Somerset at Emirates Old Trafford included four wickets in seven balls, helping to secure a crucial draw in the successful bid to secure Division One status.

And following his encouraging end to 2017, he hit the ground running en route to becoming the top bowler in the country during 2018.

Despite only registering one five-wicket haul in the year, Bailey only went wicketless three times in an innings and was a constant menace, with his wickets costing less than 20 apiece.

Bailey may not be the name which grabs the headlines like an Anderson, Mahmood or even Wood for example, but his form has elevated him to a position where Lancashire would find it incredibly hard to replace him - as his hauls in 2021, 2022 and 2023 have proved.

It was in early 2019, on tour in India, where Bailey made a trio of England Lions’ appearances - across one-day and four-day cricket. He struck three times. 

In 2021, he skippered Lancashire in the One-Day Cup when Dane Vilas was called up to play in the Hundred. 

He should also pass the 50-wicket mark in his List A career in 2024. 

But, more importantly, he wants to get his hands on another title or two to go alongside the 2015 Blast success.