LANCASHIRE cricket director and head coach Ashley Giles is relishing his first taste of a Roses match and says England star Jos Buttler’s availability is a “huge bonus.”

The Lightning tackle Yorkshire Vikings tonight in what promises to be a blockbuster NatWest T20 Blast clash under lights and in front of the TV cameras at a sold out Headingley.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Both sides suffered defeat last time out, and all England players are available for selection aside from Lancashire’s James Anderson.

That means powerful wicketkeeper-batsman Buttler will face his international colleagues Gary Ballance, Adam Lyth, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid and Joe Root if all are selected by the hosts.

“It will be fantastic to have Jos back,” said Giles, whose side have won one and lost two of their three North Division matches so far. “It’s great news.

“To have someone of his quality back in the team is a huge bonus.

“It should be a great event. It’s my first Roses match, and I’m looking forward to it.

“We really need to win because we’ve played poorly over the past two games, particularly at Derby last Friday.

“Derbies are derbies. You should want to win every game that you play in.

“But in the sense of the theatre because of the crowd, it should be a fantastic atmosphere. If that doesn’t drive us on, nothing will.”