Left-armer Jack Morley has signed a long-term contract extension with Lancashire but heads to Derbyshire in search of regular first-team cricket. He has 25 wickets in nine first-class matches and 21 wickets in 21 List A outings
Lancashire spinner Jack Morley is being sent out on loan to Derbyshire for the 2024 campaign.
He will be available for the duration of the season across formats but the Red Rose have inserted a recall option in the agreement.
The 22-year-old has also committed his long-term future to Lancashire by signing a new contract until the end of the 2026 season. His previous deal was due to expire at the end of 2024.
"I am also excited by the opportunity of spending the season with Derbyshire, stepping out of my comfort zone, and getting more game time in first team cricket with the aim of improving as a bowler and also growing as a person," said Morley.
Director of cricket performance at Lancashire Mark Chilton added: We wanted to find Jack a loan move that suits him, allows him to test himself in a new environment but also to get regular game time in all formats throughout the season."
Morley will join up with Derbyshire ahead of their pre-season friendly against the South Asian Cricket Academy starting on Tuesday, March 26.
Morley has found red-ball opportunities limited at Old Trafford since making his debut in 2020 [Jan Kruger/Getty Images]
"Our recruitment during the winter has given us multiple options in every position and format, that’s something we focussed heavily on and it will give us the best opportunity to compete in every game.”
Both the move and the lengthy contract indicate Lancashire's high regard for Morley, with the young bowler hopefully able to benefit from regular first-team opportunities at Derbyshire, while also seemingly putting an end to any questions about Tom Hartley's whereabouts this season.
Hartley has dominated the headlines this winter after taking 22 wickets at 36.13 – second only to Ravichandran Ashwin – during England's Test series against India, but he returns to Emirates Old Trafford with his spot in Lancashire's County Championship XI far from guaranteed after the club secured the services of Australia international Nathan Lyon.
Teams rarely deploy multiple spinners in English conditions – Lancashire only did so twice in 14 matches last year – prompting "frustration" from England head coach Brendon McCullum about the Hartley's position and speculation that the 24-year-old may be sent out on loan.
There had been speculation that Tom Hartley would be sent out on loan [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]
However, Lancashire evidently believe it will be better for the club and Hartley, who scored 371 runs and took 19 wickets in 10 Championship appearances in 2023 as well as being a vital cog in the T20 Blast XI, for him to remain at Old Trafford and work alongside Lyon.
Head coach Dale Benkenstein, a self-confessed fan of spin bowling and a supporter of the "whole package" offered by Hartley, has confirmed he will always look to play two spinners "if conditions are suited". Hartley, meanwhile, believes training and playing with Lyon, who has 530 Test wickets, will be a "real game-changer".
In Morley, Derbyshire are getting a player whose professional career is still in its infancy. The left-armer made his first-team debut for Lancashire during the 2020 summer and has since taken 25 wickets at 30.40 in nine first-class outings and 21 wickets with an economy of 4.95 in 21 List A appearances.
Last season, the former England Under-19 international featured five times in the Championship, picking up eight wickets, and collected a team-leading 32 wickets at 21.87 in the 2nd XI Championship. He also scored a half-century against a Yorkshire 2nd XI attack including Matt Milnes, Mickey Edwards and Ben Mike. With the white ball, he took 10 wickets in eight One-Day Cup appearances.
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