DARWEN Cricket Club has honoured a promise made by then-chairman Peter Lamster a decade ago when a star of the future was just 10 years old.

When Alex Davies, then a promising youngster with the Towers at Birch Hall, was called up to Lancashire Under-11s, Mr Lamster wrote to him, saying how proud the club was of his achievements, adding that if he ever made the first team at the Red Rose county, Darwen would get Sky Sports installed so members could follow Alex’s progress.

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Fast forward 10 years and Alex, now 20, has been an ever-present for Lancashire this season and he has been in excellent form as they top County Championship Division Two.

Graham Ainslie, the current chairman at Darwen Cricket Club, said: “Unfortunately Peter has passed away so he isn’t here to see it, but he would have been immensely proud of Alex.

“He has done really well so far this season, making three 50s and he has got his highest score of 99.

“The letter was written by Peter 10 years ago in June, so it’s almost the 10th anniversary, and this is the season that Alex is really making the breakthrough with Lancashire.”

Mr Lamster died in July 2006, at the age of 59, but Graham believes he would be delighted with the progress Alex has made.

He said: “He is really establishing himself as a county cricketer and it is great to see.

“Alex has always been a part of Darwen Cricket Club. He’s been coming here since he was five years old.

“He played for all the junior teams and worked his way up, and you could always tell he had a lot of talent. When he played for the county sides he always scored runs and took catches as a wicket-keeper.”

Last month, with Alex a fixture in the Lancashire side thanks to first choice wicket-keeper Jos Buttler being away with England, Graham and the club decided to get Sky Sports installed.

He said: “It’s a big commitment. A lot of cricket clubs these days know they have to attract people to the club, not just to watch the cricket, but also for other sports, and hopefully having Sky Sports will get people in the clubhouse.

“We’re hoping Alex will continue to have a successful season and we will get plenty of opportunities to watch him on the TV here.”