len Chapple has urged his players to go out and prove their admirers right as they bid for Specsavers County Championship title success this summer.
The Lancashire coach is ready to go ahead of the new campaign, with Division One newcomers Nottinghamshire the visitors to Emirates Old Trafford tomorrow.
Chapple’s side go into 2018 amongst the favourites for this summer’s crown, something which hasn’t been the case in most recent top-flight campaigns given the yo yo-ing between divisions.
The strength of the batting line-up has been lauded, with Keaton Jennings and Haseeb Hameed to open and Alex Davies dropping down to three.
But Chapple, whose side finished second last year, knows all to well that it matters not one jot what the pundits, fans and tipsters say.
“All the team now have got pedigree, where as perhaps in the last few years we’ve lacked that,” said the former all-rounder.
“We’ve always known that we’ve got talented cricketers, but now we’ve got a season under our belts of challenging. In those terms, I think people will expect us to be there or thereabouts.
“Having said that, everyone who knows Division One knows it’s a difficult and unpredictable division. We’ve got to be aware of that, and we’ve got to realise just assuming you’ve got a skilful squad is nowhere near enough.
“We’ve got to be much better than that. We’ve got to work together as a team, we’ve got to work very hard and in a disciplined fashion to achieve our goals.
“The first five games come thick and fast. At the end of that period, we need to be in a good position.”
On the batting strength, he said: “I think most people would agree with that, everyone at the club as well.
“But, at the end of the day, it’s the performances you put out on the field that really matter.
“Absolutely, we fully believe in the ability of our players and believe in the spirit. Now, it’s a matter of going out there and doing it.
“We also know there’s a lot of other good teams out there, and there’s always a surprise package that people have maybe discounted.”
While Moores has been back to Emirates Old Trafford with Notts since leaving for Trent Bridge via England in the early stages of 2013, this will be his first Championship match against the Red Rose as their head coach.
Of Lancashire’s 2011 title-winning coach, Chapple said: “What we have to expect from Mooresy is he knows the ground and knows some of our players. He’ll have information, and we know he’s a good coach.
“People at this club have learned a lot from him, and we’ll be looking to show him exactly how much we’ve learned!
“He’s had an influence on me, but you can’t go around being someone else. In terms of how he goes about it, there’s only one person who can behave like him, and I go about things in my way.”
These two sides last met in the Championship in 2016, with Moores appointed as head coach very late that season.
Lancashire won the home match, like this the opening game of the season, by eight wickets as Neil Wagner took eleven on debut before a draw was played out at Trent Bridge in early July.
Notts are likely to hand debuts to two winter signings - opener Chris Nash from Sussex and New Zealand overseas batsman Ross Taylor.
Squad of 14 two spinners Parry and Parkinson in 14 no Kerrigan think he is likely not to play a lot this season
Squads
Liam Livingstone ©, Tom Bailey, Shiv Chanderpaul, Jordan Clark, Steven Croft, Alex Davies, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings, Danny Lamb, Joe Mennie, Graham Onions, Stephen Parry, Matt Parkinson, Dane Vilas
The Lancashire coach is ready to go ahead of the new campaign, with Division One newcomers Nottinghamshire the visitors to Emirates Old Trafford tomorrow.
Chapple’s side go into 2018 amongst the favourites for this summer’s crown, something which hasn’t been the case in most recent top-flight campaigns given the yo yo-ing between divisions.
The strength of the batting line-up has been lauded, with Keaton Jennings and Haseeb Hameed to open and Alex Davies dropping down to three.
But Chapple, whose side finished second last year, knows all to well that it matters not one jot what the pundits, fans and tipsters say.
“All the team now have got pedigree, where as perhaps in the last few years we’ve lacked that,” said the former all-rounder.
“We’ve always known that we’ve got talented cricketers, but now we’ve got a season under our belts of challenging. In those terms, I think people will expect us to be there or thereabouts.
“Having said that, everyone who knows Division One knows it’s a difficult and unpredictable division. We’ve got to be aware of that, and we’ve got to realise just assuming you’ve got a skilful squad is nowhere near enough.
“We’ve got to be much better than that. We’ve got to work together as a team, we’ve got to work very hard and in a disciplined fashion to achieve our goals.
“The first five games come thick and fast. At the end of that period, we need to be in a good position.”
On the batting strength, he said: “I think most people would agree with that, everyone at the club as well.
“But, at the end of the day, it’s the performances you put out on the field that really matter.
“Absolutely, we fully believe in the ability of our players and believe in the spirit. Now, it’s a matter of going out there and doing it.
“We also know there’s a lot of other good teams out there, and there’s always a surprise package that people have maybe discounted.”
While Moores has been back to Emirates Old Trafford with Notts since leaving for Trent Bridge via England in the early stages of 2013, this will be his first Championship match against the Red Rose as their head coach.
Of Lancashire’s 2011 title-winning coach, Chapple said: “What we have to expect from Mooresy is he knows the ground and knows some of our players. He’ll have information, and we know he’s a good coach.
“People at this club have learned a lot from him, and we’ll be looking to show him exactly how much we’ve learned!
“He’s had an influence on me, but you can’t go around being someone else. In terms of how he goes about it, there’s only one person who can behave like him, and I go about things in my way.”
These two sides last met in the Championship in 2016, with Moores appointed as head coach very late that season.
Lancashire won the home match, like this the opening game of the season, by eight wickets as Neil Wagner took eleven on debut before a draw was played out at Trent Bridge in early July.
Notts are likely to hand debuts to two winter signings - opener Chris Nash from Sussex and New Zealand overseas batsman Ross Taylor.
Squad of 14 two spinners Parry and Parkinson in 14 no Kerrigan think he is likely not to play a lot this season
Squads
Liam Livingstone ©, Tom Bailey, Shiv Chanderpaul, Jordan Clark, Steven Croft, Alex Davies, Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings, Danny Lamb, Joe Mennie, Graham Onions, Stephen Parry, Matt Parkinson, Dane Vilas
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