LANCASHIRE SIGN FAULKNER ON T20 CONTRACT

Australian will play for the Lightning for the next two years

Lancashire Lightning have signed Australia international James Faulkner to a two-year T20 contract.

Faulkner played an integral role in the county's successful 2015 campaign in the Blast, scoring 302 runs and claiming 25 wickets.

And he will be back at Old Trafford for both 2018 and 2019.

Faulkner said: "I’m absolutely delighted to be returning to play for Lancashire Lightning in the T20 Blast for the next two years. I absolutely loved my time with the club in 2015 and Finals Day at Edgbaston still lives very long in the memory for me.

"I’m very excited to come back and work with Glen Chapple and the rest of the squad who are an extremely talented and exciting group of players.

"Emirates Old Trafford is an amazing place to play cricket and I can’t wait to reunite with the squad next summer. I’m determined to win the T20 Blast trophy back for the club."

"I’m really pleased to have secured the services of James for the next two years in the T20 Blast. He is a world-class cricketer and he played an important role in our success in 2015 when we won the competition," said Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple.

"Signing James on a two-year contract gives us some continuity and stability in terms of our T20 overseas player which is what we were looking for so we’re thrilled to bring him back to Emirates Old Trafford.

"He’s a great individual to have in the dressing room and his experience at international level will really benefit the squad."

MORE FROM THE CRICKETER: Ashes he-said, she-said continues