Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings has said that he faces a “really tough situation” trying to fit both Tom Hartley and Nathan Lyon into their side for the opening rounds of the 2024 County Championship.
Lyon is the highest profile signing of the off-season with the Australia off-spinner expected to be available for the entirety of the English summer. Lyon’s services were secured in November 2023, before left-arm spinner Hartley was called up for England’s Test tour of India in early 2024.
Hartley, who had only made 20 first-class appearances at the time of his Test call-up, had an encouraging debut tour, featuring in all five Tests with his highlight coming on debut when his second innings seven-for spun England to victory in Hyderabad. Hartley finished the series as England’s leading wicket-taker and occasionally impressed with the bat, too.
It is rare for county sides to field two finger-spinners, especially in the early stages of the season. Lancashire play seven of their 14 County Championship fixtures by May 27. Hartley’s tour of India, where he was the only England spinner to play all five Tests, has elevated his standing meaning that Lancashire go into the season with two of the most highly regarded spinners in the County Championship this summer.
Lyon’s pedigree as arguably the outstanding finger-spinner of the century assures him of a place in the Lancashire XI, prompting concerns over whether or not Hartley will be able to get enough overs under his belt to further his development as a red-ball spinner.
“I would love to leave the grass in the middle at about 25 mm to keep [seamers] Tom Bailey and Will Williams happy and scarify the ends to keep Nathan [Lyon] and Tommy [Hartley] happy,” joked Jennings on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast, before suggesting that Hartley is likely to miss out on occasion. “Even if Tommy had to miss out, I think the reality of the situation is it’s April and we’re in the UK. If it’s not going to turn as much… you’ve got arguably the best off-spinner the game has seen, Tommy is going to learn a huge amount from that guy.
“Tommy is going to play a huge part in Lancashire’s cricketing history. You see the quality he’s produced on that Test match debut – he arguably won England the game with him and Popey – so it’s amazing to see Tommy do do really well. It puts myself and Benks [new head coach Dale Benkenstein] in a really tough situation for next week. When we made the signing last year, you can’t foresee what’s going to happen in six months time. You’ve got such a high quality player available you try and make the best decision you can.
“Hopefully I’ll hold Tommy to his words in the interview he did at the backend of the India series [where he said] he’d look to pick his [Lyon’s] brain and see where we go. But Tommy is a fantastic kid. I mean, his work ethic is second to none. He grafts away, he catches, he bowls, he doesn’t moan – there’s not a bad word to say about him.”
Speaking during the India-England series, England head coach Brendon McCullum said that he thought that it’d be “slightly mad” if the likes of Shoaib Bashir or Hartley weren’t given opportunities in county cricket after impressing in India.
Hartley played in 10 of Lancashire’s 14 County Championship games in 2024, starting the season outside the Lancashire XI before usurping Matt Parkinson as their leading red-ball spinner. Hartley finished the season averaging 44 with the ball and 37 with the bat.
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