George Balderson signs long-term contract extension with Lancashire

The allrounder, who came through the club's pathway, made his debut in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy and has chalked up 1,322 runs and 66 wickets in 33 first-class outings and 463 runs and 23 wickets in 21 List A appearances

George Balderson has put pen to paper on a long-term contract extension which will keep him at Lancashire until at least 2026.

The allrounder, who came through the club's pathway, made his debut in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy and has chalked up 1,322 runs and 66 wickets in 33 first-class outings and 463 runs and 23 wickets in 21 List A appearances.

He enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, cementing his place in Lancashire's County Championship XI and scoring 702 runs, including two centuries and four half-centuries, at 50.14 and taking 23 wickets at 34.08 in 11 appearances.

Balderson's versatility with the bat is a particular asset, with the 23-year-old impressing when opening the batting and in the middle order, while with the ball, he has a reputation as something of a golden arm, with 12 of last season's 23 first-class wickets coming within the first five overs of his first spell.

^{Balderson scored over 700 runs in the County Championship last year [Harry Trump/Getty Images]}

^{Balderson has featured in first-class and List A cricket for Lancashire but is targeting a spot in the T20 XI [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

Commenting on his new contract, Balderson said: "I am thrilled to have signed on for at least the next three seasons and I hope to spend many more years at Emirates Old Trafford after that.

"It has been brilliant to play so much first-team cricket during the last few years and to be part of such a talented squad competing at the top end of the County Championship and in the knockout stages of white-ball competitions.

"We are looking to push on and win silverware now and individually I am always looking to take the next steps with my game, and it would be great to become an all-format player for Lancashire in the near future."

Expanding on his T20 ambitions, Balderson previously told The Cricketer: "I know I've got consistency and control over some slower balls that can be really effective in the middle overs, especially somewhere like Old Trafford.

"I also feel like I’ve got a good cricketing brain. I might not be the most powerful batter at the end of a game, but I can read situations and when the game gets tight towards the back end, I've got the ability to see a side over the line.

"It's something I need to keep working on. I've not got all the options I want with the ball; I need to carry on working on my slower ball and my yorkers to force my way in."

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