STEPHEN Parry says LV= County Championship promotion is not Lancashire’s sole aim this summer.
Ahead of their fortnight long pre-season tour of Dubai and Sri Lanka, starting today, the ex-Radcliffe junior has also targeted limited overs silverware for the Red Rose.
Performances in last season’s T20 Blast, in which Lancashire were beaten finalists by Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston, have given cause for optimism.
And a good showing in Friday’s Emirates Airline T20 tournament in Dubai will only build confidence further.
Yorkshire, Sussex and an MCC side including India star Yuvraj Singh are all involved in the Finals Day-like competition, with the White Rose the opponents for the semi-final (6am UK).
It is also head coach and cricket director Ashley Giles’s first game in charge, and left-arm spinner Parry said: “Obviously we won the Championship a few years ago, but we want more.
“We want to win a one-day trophy this year. Winning a one-day trophy and getting promoted is a really realistic aim. I don’t think it’s reaching too high.
“The way we played in the Twenty20 last year, the way Karl Brown hit the ball on Finals Day, the way Steven Croft does it year in and year out, myself, Tom (Smith) and Horts (Paul Horton).
“We’ve got a good, reliable group of one-day players. Then there’s also the likes of Jordan Clark coming on.
“As much as we had disappointment in the Championship last year, we all know what we’ve got to do and how we can get better. One-day wise, it is healthy at the moment.
“We’ve lost Kabir Ali, which is a shame because he was very good for us, but we’ve added some good signings, and we’ve got good depth in the squad.
“One massively important thing, and it’s a big advantage, is that we all know each other having played a lot of cricket together.
“We’re all down to earth, and if one of us gets a little bit above ourselves, they get brought back down pretty quickly. It’s a really healthy environment we’ve got at the club.
“We’re all in it for the same reason – to win trophies. We want to try and create history and leave a legacy.”
Lancashire will also play local opposition in one and two-day cricket in Sri Lanka before returning home on April 1. Their first Championship match is at Derby on April 19.
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