Former Rishton pro Andrea Agathangelou is out to make history.

The all-rounder impressed everyone during his spell at Blackburn Road last season.

This year he plans to make a real name for himself by becoming the first Cypriot to play in the LV= County Championship.

Agathangelou has signed a two-year deal with Lancashire after catching the eye with some fine displays for Rishton and the Red Rose second team last season.

And Old Trafford coach Peter Moores has already revealed he is in the shake-up for a first-team slot when the new season gets underway today (Friday) with a Championship clash against Sussex at Aigburth.

And that would create a piece of history because, even though he has lived his whole life in South Africa, Agathangelou sees himself as Cypriot.

“My father’s Cypriot and my mother’s South African,” explained Agathangelou, who was offered a new deal at Blackburn Road this season.

“I was born and raised in South Africa, but through my ancestral visa, I’m actually Cypriot and have a Cypriot passport.

“I have family in every city and town in Cyprus. My grandmother lets everyone there know all my achievements.”

His name has already raised a few eyebrows, mainly because of the way it is spelt.

“When my grandfather moved to South Africa a lot of people were really struggling to say the name,” he explained. “He actually had the letter ‘n’ removed so in South Africa that’s the way people spell my name.

“But in Greek, it’s actually pronounced Agathangelou.”

The 21-year-old, who prefers to bat in the top three but can also keep wicket and bowls leg-spin, faces a fight for a starting place in the Championship side having twice failed with the bat against Oxford University.

But he believes he has what it takes become a regular in the Red Rose ranks.

“My aim last year was to make an impression, which I did to a certain extent,” said Agathangelou. “I am a stroke-player, I can be attacking. I like to think I’ve got a good technique.

“I can hit it strongly down the ground, I rotate it well enough off the spin and can bat for a long period of time.

“I really hope I can play as many first team games as I can for Lancashire.”