Cricket News, Ben Charlesworth, Cricket Updates
Ben Charlesworth will join Lancashire County Cricket Club at the end of the season after signing a three-year contract, bringing an end to his stint with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
The 25-year-old allrounder will remain in Bristol for the remainder of the current campaign before officially linking up with Lancashire on November 1. His deal will run through to the end of the 2029 summer. Charlesworth becomes the seventh player to depart Gloucestershire since last season concluded.
The move also sees him reunite with former Gloucestershire teammate Ajeet Singh Dale, who made a similar switch to Lancashire earlier this year.
Charlesworth’s departure follows a drawn-out period of contract negotiations with Gloucestershire, which ultimately failed to produce an agreement. In an unusual step, the club granted him permission to speak with other counties ahead of the standard June 1 window for out-of-contract players.
On the field, Gloucestershire have endured a difficult start to the County Championship season, sitting at the bottom of Division Two with three defeats from three matches. Lancashire, meanwhile, climbed to the top of the table after defeating Gloucestershire in their recent encounter, where Charlesworth scored 26 and 13.
A left-handed opening batter and right-arm seamer, Charlesworth has built a solid first-class record, amassing 2,869 runs and taking 33 wickets. All four of his centuries have come in the past two seasons, including a standout 2025 campaign in which he scored 914 runs—his most productive to date.
He also played a role in Gloucestershire’s victory in the T20 Blast in 2024, contributing 221 runs during the tournament.
Speaking about the move, Charlesworth said he was excited to join a club with “a proud history and strong ambitions across all formats.” He added that familiar faces, including Ajeet Singh Dale and assistant coach Will Porterfield, had spoken highly of the setup.
Lancashire’s Director of Cricket Performance, Mark Chilton, praised the signing, highlighting Charlesworth’s versatility. “His ability to contribute across multiple areas of the game makes him a valuable addition to our squad,” Chilton said, adding that the club believes he has significant room for further development.
Chilton also acknowledged Gloucestershire head coach Jon Lewis for allowing early discussions that facilitated the transfer ahead of the usual negotiation window.
