An Academy graduate, Tom Bailey is a well-built tall pacer and useful lower order batsman. Born in Preston, he was a late bloomer as he didn’t play for Lancashire until Under-19 level. At the age of 21, the right-arm seamer made his first-class debut for Lancashire in a dead rubber against Surrey towards the end of the 2012 Championship season. In a rain-curtailed he picked just one wicket and his team was relegated to the second division. Post his debut, Bailey had a long wait before getting another chance in 2014. He impressed with the ball in his 50-over debut season, following which he was picked for the County Championship for the latter part of the 2014 season. He took part in three matches and returned with 6 wickets. A side injury forced Bailey out of the first XI for close to three months at the start of the summer in 2016. On comeback, his performances were terrific, as he picked 12 wickets in 3 matches. In two of those matches Bailey played significant roles, which helped his side draw the respective games and thereby avoid a demotion from Division One. First, a fifer (5/112) against Somerset, in which he took four wickets in seven deliveries. And then, he followed it up with a maiden FC fifty against Middlesex. Bailey continued to enjoy success against Middlesex, as he scored yet another half-ton - his second in FC - at Southport in 2017. In the second leg between these two sides, Bailey bagged a five-for. Bailey finished the season with 26 wickets as Lancashire came second in Division One in 2017.
