Lancashire hand contract extensions to four academy graduates

Tom Hartley, George Balderson, George Lavelle, and Jack Morley have all committed their futures to Lancashire until 2024

Lancashire have handed contract extensions to four academy graduates, with Tom Hartley, George Balderson, George Lavelle and Jack Morley all committing their futures to the club until at least the end of the 2024 season.

Of the quartet, left-arm spinner Hartley has made the biggest impression at Emirates Old Trafford to date.

The 22-year-old made 14 appearances in the T20 Blast last season, taking 12 wickets, posting an economy of 6.62 and bowling a team-leading 51 overs.

An improving talent with the red-ball, Hartley has made seven appearances in the format since making his debut in August 2020, taking 10 wickets. In 2021, he recorded career-best figures of 4 for 42 against Kent.

Balderson, Lavelle and Morley were all regular starters during the 2021 Royal London Cup campaign.

21-year-old allrounder Balderson made six appearances in the 50-over competition, scoring 46 runs and taking five wickets, and was subsequently added to the red-ball squad as a replacement for the injured Keaton Jennings. 

^{George Lavelle [Jan Kruger/Getty Images] and Jack Morley [Nathan Stirk/Getty Images]}

He was selected for Lancashire’s final five red-ball matches of 2021, scoring half-centuries against Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire and taking five wickets in the victory over Hampshire at Aigburth. In total, Balderson scored 145 red-ball runs and took 12 wickets.

Wicketkeeper Lavelle was ever-present in the Royal London Cup, scoring 100 runs, including a half-century against Essex, and completing seven dismissals (six catches, one stumping) with the gloves. He also made two County Championship appearances, scoring 36 runs.

Spinner Morley, meanwhile, finished the Royal London Cup with nine wickets at 24.88 and an economy of 4.

Commenting on the contract extensions, director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, said: "We are extremely pleased to have tied down four of our brightest young prospects to long-term deals.

"All four players debuted for us in the summer of 2020 and have since gone on to make significant contributions over the course of the last two seasons.

"It is always a proud moment to see a homegrown player come into the first-team environment and perform. We are looking forward to watching the continued progression of both George’s, Tom and Jack over the coming years."