LANCASHIRE are hopeful of having England bowler Jimmy Anderson available for at least one LV= County Championship match in the build-up to next month’s Ashes series.

The Red Rose star has been left out of the forthcoming one-day international series against New Zealand after a poor recent World Cup campaign.

He has been overlooked alongside the likes of Gary Ballance, Ian Bell and Stuart Broad, who were also disappointing as England failed to get out of the group stages through February and March.

Ballance, Bell and Broad have been made available for tonight’s round of NatWest T20 Blast matches, with Lancashire playing Yorkshire in front of the TV cameras at a sold out Headingley.

Jos Buttler is available to the Lightning, but Anderson is not as the England management want him to rest.

And, at the moment, that extends to four-day cricket as well, despite those not involved in the New Zealand series such as Alastair Cook being made available to their counties.

Lancashire have three Championship matches before the start of the Ashes at Cardiff on July 8, starting with Gloucestershire at Bristol on Sunday.

They then host Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford on June 14 before facing Northamptonshire at the same venue on June 29.

England have said they will formulate a pre-Ashes plan for Anderson later this month, and he surely needs to play some cricket before the first of five Tests against the Aussies.

If that is the case, then the Northants clash looks to be the most likely for the 32-year-old’s inclusion.

Red Rose cricket director and head coach Ashley Giles said: “I don’t expect him to be available in the next couple of weeks, but I hope he comes and plays for us before the Ashes.

“He is clearly an important asset going into the Ashes, so I understand the predicament they are in. But, from a personal point of view, I’d like him to play for Lancashire at some point.”

Interim England coach Paul Farbrace added: “It’s always difficult to strike the balance after the demands of back-to-back Tests, with a one-day series coming up so quickly.

“But we are keen for our players to get back to their counties whenever it’s possible as we know they enjoy making a contribution. We want the county supporters to have chance to see them in the flesh.”