A tall, strongly-built right-arm opening bowler,[1] Lankham had an outstanding season for the Auckland United club in 1880–81, taking 84 wickets at an average of 3.32, helping Auckland United to an undefeated season.
[2] He played for the Auckland XXII against the touring English team in 1881–82, taking 3 for 69 off 87 four-ball overs.
The English captain, Alfred Shaw, regarded Lankham as the best bowler the tourists faced in New Zealand.
[1] Lankham played his first first-class match in December 1882 for Auckland against Canterbury in Christchurch.
[5] Three months later Taranaki travelled to Auckland to play their initial first-class match, but Lankham was too much for them, bowling unchanged through both innings to take 13 for 35 (7 for 13 and 6 for 22) and dismiss Taranaki for 63 and 55 to give Auckland an innings victory.