Newby ready to lay down the Law for Lancashire

11:09am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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LANCASHIRE seamer Oliver Newby says he's aiming to make himself an automatic choice at Old Trafford this season.

The former Read star was the pick of Lancashire's bowling with 2-112 in the opening County Championship fixture of the season, which the Red Rose side drew with Surrey.

And the 23-year-old is hoping to get the nod as Lancashire take on newly-promoted Somerset, which starts tomorrow.

But Newby, who recently signed a new two-year contract, is hoping to cement a place in Stuart Law's plans after coming through a tough campaign last term.

He said: "I felt like last season I came on pretty well. It was a real reality check because it was the last year of my contract and things just sort of slotted into place from there.

"It was maybe the kick up the backside that I needed. When the contract was sorted out, we had a second team game and I spoke to John Stanworth and told me that I respond positively to things like this.

"Lancs probably thought that if they put me on a one-year contract and see how I did, I would come through that and I did.

"Also when you're in the last year of your contract, you can either take it one way or another.

"You can be positive and show other counties what you can do or you can be in a slump and sulk all the time and that's not good for yourself or the club."

He added: "I want to play more games than I did last season and cement my place so I don't lose it just because somebody's coming back. I want to give Winker (Mike Watkinson) and the captain a difficult decision to make."

Newby, who took 18 wickets at an average of 33 last season, revealed he was a frustrated man with international players returning to the side.

He said: "With Jimmy (James Anderson) being in and out of the England side, it meant I was in and out of the Lancashire team all year.

"And with international players being able to return to a game with the use of substitutes, it was hard to get my head around. I know it's professional sport but it's still gutting.

"But I just kept doing what I did. In second team cricket, I took wickets."

After a draw in the opening fixture, Lancashire will hope the sun shines this summer to give the Red Rose side the best possible chance to win the coveted County Championship title.

And Newby added that the heartbreak of losing the title at The Oval last season, on the final day of the campaign, will stand the county in good stead.

"It's a long time since we won it (the county championship)," he said. "We've got the players to do it. The younger players are really pushing the older players and it makes for that extra competitive edge.

"If we can go into the last game of the season needing to win the county championship, then we would take that and I'm confident we could win.

"It's what we work for at Lancashire. I've been here for five years now and it's the aim of everything we do. There are other trophies and everyone wants to win them but, for me, the county championship is the thing to win at this club.

"I think we've got the depth of squad to do it easily. We're all pulling in the right direction and having Stuey (Stuart Law) at the helm will give us something different."