Leicestershire County Cricket Club
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215043927
2008-05-26T13:20:02Z
Ronvelig
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/* Honours */
{{Infobox cricket team
|county = Leicestershire County Cricket Club
|image = [[Image:Leicestershire logo.jpg|100px]]
|oneday = Leicestershire Foxes
|secondteam =
|coach = {{flagicon|England}} [[Tim Boon]]
|captain = {{flagicon|England}} [[Paul Nixon]]
|overseas = {{flagicon|South Africa}} [[Boeta Dippenaar]]
|founded = [[1879]]
|ground = [[Grace Road]]
|capacity =
|fcdebutvs = [[Marylebone Cricket Club|MCC]]
|fcdebutyr = [[1895]]
|fcdebutvenue = [[Lord's]]
| title1 = [[County Championship|Championship]]
| title1wins = 3
| title2 = [[Pro40]]
| title2wins = 2
| title3 = [[Friends Provident Trophy|FP Trophy]]
| title3wins = 0
| title4 = [[Twenty20 Cup]]
| title4wins = 2
|website = [http://www.leicestershireccc.co.uk LeicestershireCCC]
}}
[[Image:Grace Road.jpg|thumb|Grace Road cricket ground,Leicester.]]
[[Image:Grace Road pavilion.jpg|thumb|The pavilion end.]]
[[Image:Car park end.jpg|thumb|The Bennett Road end.]]
'''Leicestershire County Cricket Club''' is one of the 18 major [[Historic counties of England|county]] clubs which make up the [[England|English]] domestic [[cricket]] structure, representing the historic county of [[Leicestershire]]. It has also been representative of the county of [[Rutland]]. Its limited overs team is called the '''Leicestershire Foxes'''.
The club is based at [[Grace Road]], [[Leicester]] and have also played home games at [[Aylestone Road]] in Leicester, at [[Hinckley]], [[Loughborough]], [[Melton Mowbray]], [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch]] and in [[Coalville]] inside the traditional county boundaries; and at [[Uppingham]] and [[Oakham]] over the border in [[Rutland]].
Leicestershire are in the second divisions of both the [[County Championship]] and the [[National League (cricket)|Pro40]] one day league. The [[Twenty20 Cup]] has become their signature competition in recent seasons with two trophies in three years.
==Honours==
* '''[[County Championship]] (3) - '''1975, 1996, 1998
* '''[[Pro40|Sunday/National League]] (2) - '''1974, 1977
* '''[[Twenty20 Cup]] (2) - '''2004, 2006,
* '''[[Benson & Hedges Cup]] (3) - '''1972, 1975, 1985
===Second XI honours===
* '''[[Second XI Championship]] (1) -''' 1983; '''shared (0) -'''
* '''[[Minor Counties Championship]] (1) -''' 1931; '''shared (0) -'''
==Earliest cricket==
Cricket may not have reached the county until well into the 18th century. A notice in the ''Leicester Journal'' dated 17 August 1776 is the earliest known mention of cricket in Leicestershire.
But it was only a few years after that before a [[Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Club]] was taking part in important matches, mainly against [[Nottingham Cricket Club]] and [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC). This club was prominent from 1781 until the beginning of the 19th century.
'''''For information about Leicestershire county teams before the formation of Leicestershire CCC, see : ''[[Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Club]]'''
==19th century==
Little more is heard of Leicestershire cricket until the formation of the present club on 25 March 1879.
Essex CCC ''versus'' Leicestershire CCC at Leyton on 14, 15 & 16 May 1894 was the initial first-class match played by either club. In 1895, the [[County Championship]] was restructured into a 14-team competition with the introduction of Essex, Leicestershire and [[Warwickshire CCC]].
==20th century==
Leicestershire's first 70 years were largely spent in lower table mediocrity, with few notable exceptions. In 1953, the motivation of secretary-captain [[Charles Palmer (cricketer)|Charles Palmer]] lifted the side fleetingly to third place, but most of the rest of the 1950s was spent propping up the table, or thereabouts.
===A change in fortunes: The 60s and 70s===
Change came in the late 1950s with the recruitment of the charismatic [[Willie Watson (England cricketer)|Willie Watson]] at the end of a distinguished career with [[English cricket team|England]] and [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]]. Watson's run gathering sparked the home-grown [[Maurice Hallam]] into becoming one of England's best [[opening batsman|opening batsmen]]. In bowling, Leicestershire had an erratically successful group of seamers in [[Terry Spencer]], [[Brian Boshier]], [[John Cotton (cricketer)|John Cotton]] and [[Jack van Geloven]], plus the spin of [[John Savage (cricketer)|John Savage]].
However, the change that finally brought success was in the captaincy: first [[Tony Lock]], the former England and [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] spinner who had galvanised [[Western Warriors|Western Australia]], took the team to the unprecedented position of runners-up in the Championship; then his successor, [[Ray Illingworth]], again from Yorkshire, instilled self-belief to the extent that the county took its first title in [[1975]].
===Success in the late 90s===
Leicestershire again won the county championship in [[1996]], and again in [[1998]] - an amazing achievement considering the resources of the club compared to other county teams. This Leicestershire side, led by [[Jack Birkenshaw]] and James Whitaker, used team spirit and togetherness to get the best out of a group of players who were either signed from other counties or brought through the Leicestershire ranks.
This team didn't have many stars, but [[Aftab Habib]], [[Darren Maddy]], [[Vince Wells]], [[Jimmy Ormond]], [[Alan Mullally]] and [[Chris Lewis (cricketer)|Chris Lewis]] all had chances for [[England Cricket Team|England]]. West Indian all-rounder [[Phil Simmons]] was also named as one of [[Wisden Cricketers of the Year|Wisden's Cricketers of the year]] in [[1997]] while playing for the club.
===Recent decline of the club===
Since winning two titles in three years, Leicestershire have slipped away dramatically from the top end of county cricket. In 2003 the side were relegated from both the county championship and the limited over competition and four years later still remain there having not realistically challenged for promotion from either, in any season.
There are a number of reasons to why there has been such a decline in the performance of the club. The departure of so many talented cricketers at the same time has been the main reason. There were a variety of reasons why players left: some went for money; some went to further their international careers; and others retired from the sport. The replacements, especially in the seam bowler department, have struggled to match their predecessors.
The management of the club has also been heavily questioned. The recruitment policy in particular, the club used four [[Kolpak]] players in the 2007 season who have for the most part failed to put in anything other than ordinary performances. While the overseas signings have been uninspiring with Mansoor Amjad, Mark Cleary and Adam Griffith all coming in and disappointing in recent years.
At the same time several of the county's more promising players like [[Luke Wright (cricketer)|Luke Wright]], [[Christopher Liddle]] and [[Darren Stevens (cricketer)|Darren Stevens]] have all moved away from the club having not been given a proper chance.
There has been significant success through the [[Twenty20 Cup]] in recent years; however, some see that as little consolation when the team is doing poorly in the [[County Championship|main competition]]. The foxes failed to reach the Twenty20 knock out stages for the first time in 2007.
===The Future of the club===
It appears as if the people who run the club have finally realised that the county is in a downward spiral and have recently made some moves to try and counter this. Head coach [[Tim Boon]] and new captain [[Paul Nixon]] have both recently signed new deals which will keep them at Grace Road until 2010. They will also be joined on the coaching staff by Jeremy Snape and Claude Henderson who will also continue to play some cricket for the foxes.
Chairman [[Neil Davidson]] has also compiled a report entitled 'An Evidence Based Approach to the Identification and Development of England Test Cricketers in the County Championship'.<ref>[http://www.leicestershireccc.com/chairman/index.html Latest News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This has also been the basis for future Leicestershire selection policy where the club plan to promote more young players. Although the report also suggests heavy reliance on a group of senior players with nationality not being an issue, which suggests a big role for Kolpak players.
==Grounds==
===Current===
* [[Grace Road]], [[Leicester]] (1877 - Present)
* [[Oakham School]], [[Oakham]] (2000 - Present)
===Previous===
* [[Bath Grounds]], [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch]] (1912 - 1964)
* [[Fox and Goose Ground]], [[Coalville]] (1913 - 1914)
* [[Town Ground, Coalville|Town Ground]], [[Coalville]] (1950)
* [[Snibston Colliery Ground]], [[Coalville]] (1957 - 1982)
* [[Ashby Road]], [[Hinckley]] (1911 - 1937)
* [[Coventry Road]], [[Hinckley]] (1951 - 1964)
* [[Leicester Road]], [[Hinckley]] (1981 - 1991)
* [[Aylestone Road]], [[Leicester]] (1901 - 1962)
* [[Brush Ground]], [[Loughborough]] (1953 - 1965)
* [[College Ground, Loughborough|College Ground]], [[Loughborough]] (1928 - 1929)
* [[Park Road, Loughborough|Park Road]], [[Loughborough]] (1913 - 1970)
* [[Egerton Park]], [[Melton Mowbray]] (1946 - 1948)
==Players and Officials==
===Leicestershire Squad===
Players with international caps are listed in '''bold'''.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Nat
! Batting Style
! Bowling Style
! Notes
|-
! colspan="6" | Batsmen
|-
| '''[[HD Ackerman]]''' || {{flagicon|South Africa}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RM]] || [[Kolpak player]]
|-
| [[Matthew Boyce]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|LHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RM]] ||
|-
| [[Jacques Du Toit]] || {{flagicon|South Africa}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RM]] || Overseas Player
|-
| '''[[Boeta Dippenaar]]''' || {{flagicon|South Africa}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Off spin|OS]] || Overseas Player
|-
| [[James Taylor (cricketer)|James Taylor]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Leg break|LS]] ||
|-
! colspan="6" | All-rounders
|-
| [[James Allenby]] || {{flagicon|Australia}} || [[Batsman|LHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RM]] || Holds English citizenship
|-
| '''[[Jeremy Snape]]''' || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Off spin|OS]] || Benefit year in 2008
|-
! colspan="6" | Wicket-keepers
|-
| [[Edward Foster]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|LHB]] || ||
|-
| [[Tom New]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|LHB]] || ||
|-
| '''[[Paul Nixon]]''' ([[Captain (cricket)|c]]) || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|LHB]] || || Captain
|-
| [[Joel Pope]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || ||
|-
! colspan="6" | Bowlers
|-
| [[Sam Cliff]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]] ||
|-
| [[Ryan Cummins]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]] ||
|-
| [[Dillon du Preez]] || {{flagicon|South Africa}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]] || Kolpak player
|-
| [[Harry Gurney]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|LHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]] ||
|-
| '''[[Claude Henderson]]''' || {{flagicon|South Africa}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Left-arm orthodox spin|SLA]] || Kolpak player
|-
| '''[[Garnett Kruger]]''' || {{flagicon|South Africa}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]] || Kolpak player
|-
| '''[[Jermaine Lawson]]''' || {{flagicon|West Indies}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]] || Kolpak player
|-
| [[Nadeem Malik]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]]
|-
| [[Jigar Naik]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Off spin|OS]] ||
|-
| [[Daniel Rowe]] || {{flagicon|England}} || [[Batsman|RHB]] || [[Fast bowling|RFM]] ||
|-
|}
===County Captains===
{{seealso|Category:Leicestershire cricket captains}}
===Notable Players===
{{seealso|Category:Leicestershire cricketers}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-4}}
'''England'''
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Jonathan Agnew]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Ewart Astill]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Chris Balderstone]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Les Berry]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Dickie Bird]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Jack Birkenshaw]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Nigel Briers]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[David Constant]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Nick Cook (cricketer)|Nick Cook]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Eddie Dawson]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Phillip DeFreitas]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[George Geary]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[David Gower]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Aftab Habib]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Ken Higgs]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Ray Illingworth]]
{{col-4}}
*{{flagicon|England}} [[John King (cricketer)|John King]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Albert Knight]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Barry Knight]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Chris Lewis (cricketer)|Chris Lewis]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Tony Lock]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Darren Maddy]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Devon Malcolm]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[David Millns]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Alan Mullally]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Jimmy Ormond]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Charles Palmer (cricketer)|Charles Palmer]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Dick Pougher]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[John Steele (cricketer)|John Steele]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Terry Spencer]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Les Taylor]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Roger Tolchard]]
{{col-4}}
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Jack van Geloven]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Willie Watson (England cricketer)|Willie Watson]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Vince Wells]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[James Whitaker (cricketer)|James Whitaker]]
*{{flagicon|England}} [[Peter Willey]]
'''Australia'''
*{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Michael Bevan]]
*{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Brad Hodge]]
*{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Garth McKenzie]]
'''India'''
*{{flagicon|India}} [[Anil Kumble]]
*{{flagicon|IND}} [[Virender Sehwag]]
*{{flagicon|IND}} [[Javagal Srinath]]
{{col-4}}
'''New Zealand'''
*{{flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Charles Dempster]]
'''Pakistan'''
*{{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Mohammad Asif]]
*{{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Shahid Afridi]]
'''South Africa'''
*{{flagicon|South Africa}} [[Hansie Cronje]]
'''West Indies'''
*{{flagicon|West Indies}} [[Winston Benjamin]]
*{{flagicon|West Indies}} [[Andy Roberts (cricketer)|Andy Roberts]]
*{{flagicon|West Indies}} [[Phil Simmons]]
'''Zimbabwe'''
*{{flagicon|Zimbabwe}} [[Brian Davison]]
{{col-end}}
[[Image:Cricket 057.jpg|thumb|center|550px|Members of the current squad warming up]]
==Records==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
'''Most first-class runs for Leicestershire''' <BR>
Qualification - 18000 runs [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Firstclass/Leicestershire/Batting_Records/Most_Career_Runs.html]
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor=#bdb76b
! Player!!Runs
|-
|[[Les Berry]]|| 30143
|-
|[[Maurice Hallam]]|| 23662
|-
|[[John King (cricketer)|John King]]|| 22618
|-
|[[Cecil Wood]] || 21872
|-
|[[Ewart Astill]] || 19879
|-
|[[Norman Armstrong]] || 19001
|-
|[[Nigel Briers]] || 18726
|-
|[[Maurice Tompkin (cricketer)|Maurice Tompkin]] || 18590
|-
|[[Brian Davison]] || 18537
|-
|[[Albert Knight]] || 18142
|}
{{col-break}}
'''Most first-class wickets for Leicestershire''' <BR>
Qualification - 800 wickets [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Firstclass/Leicestershire/Bowling_Records/Most_Career_Wickets.html]
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor=#bdb76b
! Player!!Wickets
|-
|[[Ewart Astill]]|| 2131
|-
|[[George Geary]]|| 1759
|-
|[[Terry Spencer]]|| 1320
|-
|[[Jack Walsh]] || 1127
|-
|[[John King (cricketer)|John King]] || 1100
|-
|[[Haydon Smith]] || 1076
|-
|[[Vic Jackson]] || 930
|-
|[[Jack Birkenshaw]] || 908
|-
|[[John Savage (cricketer)|John Savage]] || 816
|}
{{col-end}}
===Batting===
* Highest team total: '''701-4d''' vs [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] at [[New Road]], [[Worcester]] in [[1906]].
* Highest home team total: '''638-8d''' vs [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] at [[Grace Road]] in [[1996]].
* Lowest team total: '''25''' vs [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]] at Leicester in [[1912]]
* Highest Total Against: '''761-6d''' by Essex Chelmsford 1990
* Lowest Total Against: '''24''' by Glamorgan Leicester 1971
* Most runs: '''30143 by George Berry'''
* Highest individual score: '''309* by HD Ackerman''' vs [[Glamorgan County Cricket Club|Glamorgan]] at [[Sophia Gardens]] in [[2006]].
* Highest home individual score: '''262 by [[Brad Hodge]]''' vs [[Durham County Cricket Club|Durham]] at Grace Road in [[2004]].
* Highest Partnership: '''436* by Darren Maddy & Brad Hodge''' vs [[Loughborough University Centre of Cricketing Excellence|Loughborough UCCE]] at [[Grace Road]] in 2003.
'''Best Partnership for each wicket (county championship)'''
*1st - 390 B.Dudleston & J.F.Steele v Derbyshire Leicester 1979
*2nd - 289* J.C.Balderstone & D.I.Gower v Essex Leicester 1981
*3rd - 316* W.Watson & A.Wharton v Somerset Taunton 1961
*4th - 290* P.Willey & T.J.Boon v Warwickshire Leicester 1984
*5th - 322 B.F.Smith & P.V.Simmons v Nottinghamshire Worksop 1998
*6th - 284 P.V.Simmons & P.A.Nixon v Durham Chester-le-Street 1996
*7th - 219* J.D.R.Benson & P.Whitticase v Hampshire Bournemouth 1991
*8th - 172 P.A.Nixon & D.J.Millns v Lancashire Manchester 1996
*9th - 160 R.T.Crawford & W.W.Odell v Worcestershire Leicester 1902
*10th - 228 R.Illingworth & K.Higgs v Northamptonshire Leicester 1977
===Bowling===
* Most First Class Wickets: '''2131 by [[Ewart Astill]]'''
* Most First Class Wickets in a Season: '''170 by [[Jack Walsh]] in [[1948]]'''
* Best bowling figures in an innings: '''10-18 by [[George Geary]] in 1929 against Glamorgan at [[Ynysangharad Park]], [[Pontypridd]].
* Best bowling figures in a match: '''16-96 by George Geary''' in the same match.
===Fielding===
* Most Dismissals in an innings: '''7 by [[Neil Burns]]''' vs Somerset at Grace Road in 2001.
* Most Dismissals in a Match: '''10 by Percy Corrall''' vs Sussex at Hove in 1936.
==Leicestershire Facts and Feats==
* When Leicestershire dismissed [[Northamptonshire CCC]] for 211 in August 1967 all ten wickets fell to catches - by ten different fielders. The only man not to take a catch, [[Jack Birkenshaw]], took three wickets.
* [[Sam Coe]] made 252* in four hours without giving a chance against Northamptonshire at Leicester in 1914, a Leicester record which stood for over 70 years. He was an ancestor of fast bowler [[Les Taylor]] and is notable for being the first man ever dismissed by a [[Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)|Bernard Bosanquet]] googly.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External sources==
* [http://www.leicestershireccc.co.uk Leicestershire County Cricket Club - Official Site]
* [http://www.freewebs.com/leicestershirefoxes/index.htm Leicestershire Foxes Supporter's Site]
* [http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/NATIONAL/ENG/FC_TEAMS/LEICS/ CricInfo Page]
* [http://cricketarchive.com/Leicestershire/index.html Cricket Archive Page]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/leicestershire/default.stm BBC Sport Page]
==Further reading==
* [[Harry Altham|H S Altham]], ''A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914)'', George Allen & Unwin, 1962
* [[Derek Birley]], ''A Social History of English Cricket'', Aurum, 1999
* [[Rowland Bowen]], ''Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development'', Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970
* [[Roy Webber]], ''The Playfair Book of Cricket Records'', Playfair Books, 1951
* [[Playfair Cricket Annual]] – various editions
* [[Wisden Cricketers Almanack]] – various editions
{{English first-class cricket clubs}}
[[Category:English first class cricket teams]]
[[Category:Sport in Leicester]]
[[Category:Sport in Leicestershire]]
[[Category:Sports clubs established in 1879]]
[[Category:History of Leicestershire]]
[[fr:Leicestershire County Cricket Club]]