Liam Livingstone returns to Championship cricket for Lancashire in 2026

Liam Livingstone will play Lancashire's next two County Championship matches after answering an injury crisis call in 2026.

Late recall to red-ball action Liam Livingstone was unexpectedly chosen for England's Test tour to Pakistan in late 2022 but suffered an injury while fielding in the first Test at Rawalpindi. Since then, he has not featured in any first-class matches, with his schedule heavily focused on franchise cricket. Earlier this year, he signed a T20-only deal with Lancashire, seemingly ending his red-ball playing days. However, he has now responded to a request from captain James Anderson and head coach Steven Croft to feature in Lancashire's next two County Championship games against Kent and Derbyshire. ## Injury crisis drives selection Lancashire faced a severe injury crisis with multiple players unavailable, including Chris Green, Luke Wells, Arav Shetty, Ajeet Singh Dale, Paul Coughlin, Phil Salt and Mitchell Stanley. This prompted the call for Livingstone to step in and help the side. He admitted that he would likely not be playing if all players were fit, but acknowledged the importance of Anderson and Croft in his decision. Livingstone will have minimal preparation, with just one training session before his first Championship appearance in years. ## Livingstone's form and motivation Livingstone spent the early part of the English season at the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad, making only two appearances. Upon returning to Lancashire, he has shown strong form, scoring 85 not out off 31 balls to guide Lancashire to victory in a rain-reduced T20 Blast match at Durham. He expressed frustration in the past about lacking batting rhythm and time at the crease, but sees this as an opportunity to reclaim his place in the middle order. His decision to return reflects his commitment to the team and the influence of key figures. ## Lancashire's squad changes and challenges Lancashire currently sit fourth in Division Two after six matches and will host third-placed Kent at Blackpool on Friday. Their promotion hopes suffered a setback when Chris Green was ruled out for the remainder of his stint with a fractured thumb. Ben McDermott, who is part of the squad for the Blast, has been included in the Championship team for the upcoming match. Additionally, 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Joe Moores is set to make his first-class debut after being named in the squad, while James Anderson returns from an injury sustained in Lancashire's opening Blast match. ## Kent's absence and squad adjustments Kent will be without Zak Crawley for their match against Lancashire after he chose to step away from first-class cricket following a quiet start to the summer. This decision came after he was dropped from England's Test squad, contributing to his pause in red-ball action. Despite his absence, Kent will field a competitive side against Lancashire in what promises to be a closely contested fixture.