WARREN Hegg insists Alex Davies could soon be challenging for England honours with Lancashire still in the hunt of wrapping up a memorable season with two trophies.

The Darwen wicketkeeper was Lancashire’s man of the match, helping the Red Rose end a 16-year wait for a major one day trophy by winning the T20 Blast title at Edgbaston last month.

MORE TOP STORIES:

And Lancashire can still be crowned Division Two County champions, after already ensuring a return to the top flight after just one season in the bottom division.

Hegg, Lancashire’s wicketkeeper from 1986 to 2005 and who played in two Test matches for England against Australia, said: “Alex Davies has a great work ethic, and he has a very mature attitude for a young man.

“Most of all he has a massive desire to succeed and that will get him there.

“He has quickly become an integral part of this successful Lancashire team, and is also a terrific batsman.

“It is a tough old sport he has chosen as his career, but he has got the right mentality and will play for England one day.”

Davies, who cut his teeth with Northern League outfit Darwen, his hometown club, has enjoyed a fruitful campaign with the bat and behind the stumps, although injury forced him to miss the final few weeks of the campaign.

And with Jos Buttler likely to be away on England duty for the foreseeable future, Davies will be the man with the gloves at Old Trafford for Championship duty and for the majority of limited overs cricket next term.

Hegg, who still works at Old Trafford as a marketing executive, has kept an eagle eye on the young prospects development.

Hegg observed: “Technically, Alex is a very fine wicketkeeper indeed.

“He has great hands and good agility, and he’s certainly a lot better player than I was.

“He always seems to be able to create a lot of time for himself behind the stumps, and he is a good height for a wicketkeeper.

“However, Alex will be the first to admit that he is still learning his craft.

“There is a long road ahead, and he will have good days and bad days.

“It is how you bounce back from the poor ones that really define you as a cricketer.”

Lancashire travel to Essex for their final game of the Championship season which starts tomorrow knowing that nothing less than a victory will do as they bid to end the season as champions.

Ashley Giles’ men begin the week eight points behind league leaders Surrey who host Northamptonshire in their final game after the two promoted sides played out a draw at Old Trafford last week.

Davies won’t actually be involved in the final match as he continues to recover from injury with the experienced Phil Mustard set to keep his place having signed on an emergency loan deal from Durham earlier this month.