Lancashire head coach Dale Benkenstein admits he faces a big job turning fortunes around at Emirates Old Trafford after the Red Rose were relegated from Division One of the County Championship.

A draw at Worcestershire on Sunday was not enough for their survival after a woeful red-ball campaign.

Lancashire’s fall from grace has been rapid after finishing runners-up in 2022, when they came so close to winning the title, and then fourth 12 months ago.

The make-up of their side has altered from two years ago with players leaving, call-ups to franchise cricket and injuries.

The Red Rose county have suffered four innings defeats in a season for the first time in their history, including three in succession.

It was their fourth relegation from the top flight since last winning the title in 2011 - in 2012, 2014, 2018 and now 2024.

Benkenstein said: “In four-day cricket there is so much time in the game that if you’ve got any weaknesses they are going to be found, and especially in Division One.

“We have definitely in four-day cricket got a lot of work to do and probably didn’t realise we were going to be in this position coming into the job.

“But we’ve got a task ahead, and that’s sport. As much as you sometimes need to go down to find your feet and everyone to regroup a bit and have a bit of breathing space and actually find confidence and the balance of team.

“You don’t just want to go back into Division One. You want to go back and you want to stay there.

“It hasn’t been the easiest season but that is the nature of county cricket and it’s a tough job as a head coach.”

Lancashire’s relegation was confirmed on the third day of their final match at New Road.

After bowling out the home side for 180, Lancashire were themselves then dismissed for 177 in 55.1 overs.

Their fate was sealed as relegation rivals Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire picked up sufficient points from their meeting at Trent Bridge to both guarantee their own safety.

Lancashire failed to secure a single batting bonus point for the ninth time in 14 games this season.

Benkenstein added: “We’ve chatted a few times leading into this game and the last game (against Somerset) gave us a glimmer of hope.

“But over six months of cricket, we said at the start that it is a marathon and consistency is really important and we just haven’t been able to put consistent performances together.

“There are a few reasons for it but the bottom line is you are expected to go out there and perform and we are in this position because we haven’t consistently performed well.

“You come in as a new coach and a new coaching team and you are trying to learn quite a lot of things in a short space of time.

“The history of the club, you always know it is a very ambitious and strong club and when you are bringing in young lads, and there are debuts being made, and there are some good senior players in the team, you are expecting them to be at a decent level.

“I do think the first division has got some very experienced teams and when you do just lose a little bit of experience in key areas….the difference in what we have seen this year is we probably didn’t realise what a difference your Crofty’s and Dane (Vilas) has made, not just on the field but what they also give off the field.”