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Ollie Sutton on Lancashire duty last year

The solution to Lancashire’s woes could lie on their doorstep in the Love Lane Liverpool Competition.

That’s the view of one leading Comp coach, as the Red Rose continue to struggle in the County Championship.

In his role at Formby, Andy Grice has overseen the development of Ben Aitchison and Ollie Sutton to the professional game.

And he feels Lancashire’s senior coaches might be missing a trick, as their winless side languishes near the bottom of Division Two.

“There’s no-one at Lancs watching the Comp,” Grice says.

“What they don’t do is go and pick people’s brains who know them well and understand what they’re good at.

“They might be useless to them, but at least have that conversation.

“Go and find out what they’re like as people around the club.

“It’s important – how do you develop someone who doesn’t want to learn?

“A great player who never listens to anyone, or has too much parental influence.

“All those sorts of things we’ve come across in our time.

“It surely helps them if they know that?

“We want them to help themselves by getting closer to us in the recreational game – it’s got to be for their benefit.”

Love Lane Liverpool Competition fixtures

Some of the Comp’s brightest young talents are gearing up for a busy half-term week of inter-league cricket.

Five groups of players, from U11 to U15, have been selected to represent the Comp against other north-west leagues – with an U17 squad to be chosen next month.

But Lancashire’s age groups only go up to U18 level, whereas Grice believes many cricketers are much later bloomers.

All-rounder Sutton, for example came through the age groups at Cricket Path, impressing at every level and breaking into the 1st XI at 15.

At the same time, he was given his chance in the Lancashire set-up – but by 18 he still hadn’t finished developing into the cricketer he is today.

It’s to his credit that he stuck at it, touring the county 2nd XI circuit with Derbyshire, Durham, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

Several others to have graduated from the Comp missed out at Lancashire only to find success elsewhere – such as Derbyshire’s Aitchison and Mattie McKiernan, Essex’s Matt Critchley, Middlesex and Sussex’s John Simpson and, until his recent signing for the Red Rose, Durham’s Mike Jones.

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Lancs took another look at Sutton last summer, at the grand old age of 24 – a first professional contract followed, and a first-class debut at Lord’s this season.

Very few of even the most talented young cricketers will make it that far. Even fewer will have done enough by age 18 to convince county coaches they have what it takes.

Grice says: “The role we have to play is nurturing people, both in the Lancashire pathway and at the edge of it, but also catching the late developers.

“Ollie is a late developer in that he’s had to work very hard outside of the county game to get himself an opportunity.

“I don’t think any county that has had Ollie has understood exactly what his strengths and weaknesses are.”

Anyone familiar with Sutton’s game who saw the line-up for that match at Lord’s would agree – one of the top batters in a Premier League featuring several current and former professional batters was carded at number 11.

Lancashire, of course, know what they’re doing. Josh Bohannon, one of their leading batters over the past few years, began his first-class career down the order – it takes pressure off young players and gives them the chance to learn more about the tactical side of the professional game.

But to many observers, Sutton at 11 – not at 8 like Bohannon, but the batter of last resort – was a decision that highlighted a disconnect between the county and the top level of club cricket.

If Sutton had been an 18-year-old with an academy record to match his Comp numbers – 514 runs in 13 innings last season, before injury ruled him out – he is unlikely to have been the last man in.

Love Lane Liverpool Competition tables

Other examples abound of players who slipped through the age group net but continued to impress at club level.

Grice points to another of his Formby proteges, 17-year-old Lucas Kennedy, who is not part of the Lancashire U18s set-up, despite some impressive Comp displays.

He also highlights Rainford’s Jason Login – second in the Prem run charts last year, a handy leg-spinner, and entering his prime at 23.

But Login grew up in South Africa and didn’t arrive in England until 2021, by which time the county age groups were closed to him.

Grice adds: “The highest age group anyone will play now is 18 – once they’re past 18, they’re more or less out of the county game.

“In terms of cricket development, most people don’t play 1st XI club cricket until they’re 15, so when they’re 18-19 it is still a big development age for them.

“While Lancashire might think if they’re no good at 18 they’re no good, that’s not accurate. They’re still developing.”

Love Lane Liverpool Competition statistics

Clubs don’t exist simply to feed the counties. Higher honours can often be a double-edged sword – the Comp’s two most successful sides, Ormskirk and Northern, rely more on club cricket stalwarts than young hopefuls.

But Grice and his fellow coaches know that nurturing young talent is in everyone’s interests.

“A strong league structure should support a strong Lancashire,” he says.

“If you’re an aspiring cricketer, you’ve got to be playing in one of the top leagues.

“And there has been a drain of talent towards the Comp because you can play against good players on good surfaces.

“The senior players and the senior captains in the Comp are very good players, very aware of tactical issues. They’re trying to nurture people coming through.

“Matty Hurst moved from Newton-le-Willows to Leigh and got to play with Karl Brown and McKiernan – he’ll be better for that experience.

“It’s the same with Ollie, Archie and Lucas, who are all better for playing in the same team as Ian Cockbain. They’re learning from him.”

Grice, 61, has been at Formby since 1999, save for a five-year stint working full-time with Staffordshire.

He describes nurturing young players as his passion, and is a regular on Formby matchdays – warming up the team, then watching nervously from the boundary.

And when it comes to Lancashire, he wants the same outcome as any other supporter.

He says: “Obviously there will be some people who Lancashire think aren’t good enough, but a lot of people do feel like there have been a few incorrect judgements on some of these players who have slipped through the net.

“No-one wants that to happen again.

“Lancashire want a winning team. Supporters all want the same too.

“The thing now is how can we help Lancashire get to their aim.

“There has been some frustration at the talent drain and when you look at the former Lancashire players who are prospering at other counties, people start asking the question why that is.”

from Merseyside Cricket Online https://ift.tt/fx8lWaA

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