Former Ireland international Will Porterfield joins Lancashire coaching staff

The 39-year-old will serve as an assistant to new head coach Dale Benkenstein, whom he previously worked alongside at Gloucestershire

Former Ireland international Will Porterfield has joined Lancashire's coaching staff.

The 39-year-old will serve as an assistant to new head coach Dale Benkenstein. The pair previously worked together at Gloucestershire, with Porterfield working as a consultant coach and later as Benkenstein's assistant (batting and fielding).

The Cricketer understands Porterfield was in the running to replace Benkenstein as head coach at Gloucestershire, a role which eventually went to Mark Alleyne.

Porterfield made over 600 appearances during his career, including 212 caps across the formats for Ireland and stints with Gloucestershire and Warwickshire on the county circuit, before retiring from cricket in 2022.

^{Porterfield earned over 200 caps for Ireland and represented Gloucestershire and Warwickshire during his playing career [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

^{Porterfield previously worked under Dale Benkenstein (pictured) at Gloucestershire [Harry Trump/Getty Images]}

Benkenstein said: "I'm really pleased that Will has been able to join me at Emirates Old Trafford ahead of the new season and look forward to continuing our working relationship.

"Will and I worked together for two years in Bristol and I think that he will add real skill and experience to our coaching staff here at Lancashire, both from his playing days and first steps into coaching.

"With Will and Craig White alongside me, I am really pleased to have my coaching team finalised as we head off on pre-season tour this week before the season gets underway in April."

There has been a host of backroom changes at Lancashire since the end of the 2023 campaign, including Benkenstein's appointment as head coach in place of Glen Chapple, who stepped down after seven seasons in the role last September.

Bowling coach Graham Onions has also departed, returning to former county Durham as lead bowling coach, as has assistant head coach Carl Crowe, who left his role in March to "seek some exciting new opportunities".

In January, Craig White, who had been Thunder's assistant coach since 2021, moved onto Benkenstein's staff as lead bowling coach.

Steven Croft, meanwhile, has stepped up coaching responsibilities, taking on the role of batting lead, predominantly with the 1st and 2nd XIs, after scaling back his playing commitments. This season, the 39-year-old will only be available in the T20 Blast.

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