Lancashire Cricket: Danny Lamb says his parents backing has helped him and his sister Emma be successful in cricket

While the 26-year-old plays for the men's team, Emma represents England and Thunder, with the latter starting their season against Southern Vipers in the Charlotte Edwards Cup on Saturday.

Lamb says the backing from their parents have enabled them both to follow their ambitions in cricket.

He said: “It’s nice, but you don’t really think about it and get on with the job in hand. Our mum and dad have always been very supportive, and have pushed us both a lot.

“It wasn’t just cricket growing up, it was multi-sports, we’ve always been mad into it. I’m glad that happened because it has given us a good foundation.

“Emma has been away with England all winter. She’s done pretty well, and hopefully she can go on and cement her place in that team.

“If she ever needed any advice then I would help her, but it is a different game so it’s hard for me to comment. Their skills are slightly different, they hit it in different areas, they bowl it in different areas. She wouldn’t take much off me anyway.”

Lamb says the number of talented cricketers from Preston shows how good the junior set-ups are in the area.

“I started off at Chorley and moved to Leyland,” he added.

“Both were fantastic clubs for me as a junior, they had great facilities and that only benefited people. The amount of county players that come through those places, is testament to their junior set-ups.

“Preston is like the second city after Manchester. Sport round there has always been of massive interest, and because of the population round there, there is more competition, so the standard has to be a bit better.”