BIG-HITTING batsman Liam Livingstone has blasted his way to a new deal with Lancashire.

The 23-year-old Barrow CC product has penned a contract to keep him at Old Trafford until 2019 after an impressive breakthrough season last year.

Livingstone had an outstanding campaign in all formats for Lancashire last year.

He made his first-class debut in the opening game of the 2016 County Championship season and went on to hit two centuries, with a top score of 108 not out against Somerset, ending the season with an average of more than 50.

The Ernest Pass junior hit a half-century off just 23 balls against Yorkshire Vikings in the Twenty20 Blast, and a run-a-ball 98 against Derbyshire in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

His displays earned him a place in the England Lions squad, for whom he scored 84 against Sri Lanka A in the first tour match of the country this week. He will go on to feature in the North v South match being played in the United Arab Emirates before the start of the season.

Livingstone is hoping to build on that foundation when the new season starts and prove he is worth his new contract.

“Playing cricket for Lancashire is all I’ve ever wanted to do and I’m delighted to have signed a new contract with the club,” he told Lancashire CCC's official website.

“I have supported the club ever since I can remember and I hope to win more silverware with the Red Rose in the years to come.

“It's where I've grown up playing my youth cricket. I've been here for a while now, so I'm very happy to commit my future to the club, and hopefully help push the team forward in the next couple of years.

“Hopefully, last year was only the start, and I can use that to kick on for this year and try and put in some more match-winning performances for Lancashire across all three formats.”

New deals for Livingstone and pace Saqib Mahmood were announced on the same day, both having graduated through the Lancashire Academy.

Head coach Glen Chapple said: “We’re delighted Liam and Saqib have signed new deals with the club. They are two highly promising young cricketers who have made real progress over the last 12 months.

“Both players are going to form an important part of the side in the next few years, in all formats. We are very excited to see how their development continues in the coming years.”

Livingstone is looking forward to his second season in the County Championship Division One, as well as building on his big-hitting reputation in the limited-overs game.

The addition of West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul to the Lancashire set-up will provide the Red Rose with added strength, and also a chance for the younger squad players to learn from his experience.

Livingstone added: “I can't wait for the start of the season. It has been a long time since September, and I'm looking forward to getting back out there and competing with the boys.

“We've got a lot of young lads coming through. Chappy and Chilly taking over is a breath of fresh air for everyone, and it is kind of a new start. We have made some good signings over the winter, so hopefully everyone can come together and we can all push forward from April.”