BOLTONIAN cricketer Josh Bohannon has signed a contract extension at Lancashire until the end of the 2021 season.

The 22-year-old former Farnworth Social Circle star had an impressive campaign that helped the Red Rose to promotion to Division One of the County Championship and also saw him notch a maiden first-class century.

Along with fellow academy product, Rob Jones, the county announced his new deal which adds an extra year, today.

Bohannon was a mainstay of the side, missing only three first XI matches across all competitions as Lancashire won County Championship promotion and reached the knockout stages of both limited-overs tournaments.

After narrowly missing out on a maiden first-class century against Leicestershire in May, finishing on 98 not out, Bohannon reached three figures in the penultimate home game of the season against Derbyshire at Emirates Old Trafford.

The right-hander finished with an average of 52.44 across 11 matches, bettered only by captain Dane Vilas.

He added 156 Royal London One-Day Cup runs, including a maiden half-century against Yorkshire at Headingley, and was an ever-present in the Vitality Blast side that reached the quarter-finals.

He said: “To have extended my contract at Emirates Old Trafford is very pleasing and I am excited to continue to progress in the next couple of years.

“The coaching staff have backed me to play a bigger role and thankfully I have been able to repay the faith they have shown in me.

“Getting that first century against Derbyshire made me feel a sense of belonging in first-class cricket and I want to keep on improving from here.

"The challenge for me is to contribute match-winning performances on a regular basis and it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.”

Lancashire head coach, Glen Chapple, said: “Josh and Rob [Jones] have established themselves as key parts of our side and have rightly been rewarded with extended contracts.

“It is always pleasing when academy graduates make the step up to become a first XI regular and both have proven they have what it takes to be successful in first-class cricket.

“Next season will be another test for them with the step up to Division One, but they have both responded well to increased responsibility and it bodes well for us heading into 2020.”