ACCRINGTON cricket club have pulled off a major winter coup by luring former Lancashire and England batsman Graham Lloyd back to his hometown club.

The 38-year-old Accrington-born batsman has spent several seasons with Firwood Bootle in the Liverpool Competition.

But after hearing about Accrington's cash plight, Lloyd, son of England coach-turned-pundit David Lloyd, has decided to help out and play as an amateur at Thorneyholme Road.

"Graham wants to help the club out with what's happened to us financially," said Accrington chairman Rod Kenyon.

"Bootle wanted him to stop there for another year, but he decided to come here.

"He's still got a lot to offer - he's got a great cricketing brain.

"Graham played here as a youngster when his dad was contracted with the club, and now he wants to give something back."

Kenyon added: "On the playing front, we've been in talks with another couple of amateurs but we can't name names at the moment.

"We are also in negotiations with a professional through David Lloyd."

In a succesful professional career, especially in the one-day game, Lloyd scored 11,279 first-class runs for Lancashire at an average of 38.23.

He was a key member of the Red Rose county side which dominated one-day cricket in the mid-to-late 1990s, and picked up six one-day internationals with England.

He retired professionally in 2002.