Who are the players to watch? Who’s in the squad? What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses? What is the fixture list? Your questions answered
Coach: Paul Nixon
Captain: Colin Ackermann
Ins: Scott Steel (Durham), Rishi Patel (Essex), Ed Barnes (Yorkshire)
Outs: Tom Taylor (Northamptonshire), Paul Horton (retired), Mark Cosgrove (released)
Overseas: Marcus Harris (Australia)
Fixture list: April 8 – Hampshire (h), April 15 – Surrey (a), April 22 – Somerset (h), April 29 – Gloucestershire (a), May 6 – Surrey (h), May 20 – Hampshire (a), May 27 – Middlesex (h), June 3 – Gloucestershire (h), July 4 – Somerset (a), July 11 – Middlesex (a)
Remind me what happened last year?
Leicestershire’s season started with a bang and finished with a whimper. In their opening game of 2020, they demolished Lancashire – 2019’s Division Two champions – with ease, cruising to a seven-wicket win thanks to a daddy hundred from loanee Ben Slater. For a brief moment, the East Midlands wondered if this would be Leicestershire’s year? Sadly, it wasn’t to be.
After scoring 409 for 8 declared in their first innings of the season, they were bowled out for fewer than 250 on four occasions. A nine-wicket defeat at the hands of Derbyshire – a reality check of epic proportions – was followed by successive draws against Durham and Nottinghamshire.
Their red-ball exploits ended with a 10-wicket defeat against table-toppers Yorkshire. Finishing fifth in the standings – eight points clear of winless Durham – Leicestershire have won just twice in their last two seasons. The consolation? Denying Yorkshire the three batting bonus points that would have put them level on points with Essex.
Ben Mike will be a major part of Leicestershire's team in 2021
What’s happened over the winter?
Weathering Covid-19 better than some of their rivals thanks to the furlough scheme and their reduced dependency on hospitality and events, chief executive Sean Jarvis has ambitious plans for the club, including addressing revenue shortfalls, boosting hospitality and improving community links.
And, with a new brand identity – Running Foxes – unveiled last summer, a new sponsor in Uptonsteel, and an India versus India A warm-up match scheduled for July, its clear Leicestershire are heading into the 2021 season with wind in their sails.
The only major personnel change is Callum Parkinson’s promotion to red-ball vice-captain. The 24-year old has become a fan-favourite since arriving at Grace Road for the 2017 season and will support Colin Ackermann both on and off the field.
Who’s arrived and who’s left?
Opener Paul Horton, who spent four seasons with Leicestershire after 13 years at Lancashire, retired at the end of the 2020 season. He scored 2,787 first-class runs and captained the side in 2018 and 2019 but failed to make an appearance last season.
Twenty-five-year old allrounder Tom Taylor departed for Northamptonshire on a three-year deal while 36-year old Mark Cosgrove was released.
There are four new faces at Grace Road in 2021, including allrounder Scott Steel (Durham), batsman Rishi Patel (Essex) and seamer Ed Barnes (Yorkshire). At 23, Barnes is the eldest of the trio and all three youngsters will be looking to establish themselves in the first XI.
However, Leicestershire’s marquee signing is Australian opener Marcus Harris. The 28-year old has scored 6,870 runs in 105 first-class appearances, including 15 centuries and 30 half-centuries.
He is currently representing Victoria in the Sheffield Shield and has scored 653 runs at an average of 65.3 in seven matches to date – an exciting sign for Leicestershire fans.
Who will be the key men in 2021?
Leicestershire’s captain fantastic Colin Ackermann holds the key to his side’s success. Racing away at the top of the run-scoring charts, Ackermann scored 379 runs, including four 50s, at average of 54.14 in 2020. It’s safe to say he carried Leicestershire last year and they will be hoping he’s on form to inspire his side again in 2021.
The other player under the spotlight this season is Hassan Azad. The 27-year old scored a huge 1,189 runs in Leicestershire’s disappointing 2019 season, averaging 54.04 and scoring three centuries and eight 50s in 14 matches. However, he failed to fire in 2020, scoring just 144 runs. Azad needs to find his hands, and find them fast, to ease the burden on Ackermann and Harris.
One to watch
Leicestershire are not short on promising young talent. Ben Mike is the pick of the bowlers, taking nine wickets at an average of 31 in four matches last season. At 22, the medium pacer is still getting to know his body, but it will be exciting to watch him develop in 2021.
With the bat, 23-year old Harry Dearden is a standout talent. He scored 234 runs last season – the second most in the squad – and hit 75 in a pre-season friendly against Derbyshire to indicate his batting is only getting better. Sam Evans is also an exciting batsman.
However, if you only keep your eyes on one player this season, make it Harry Swindells. The 22-year old wicketkeeper-batsman made his debut in 2019 before establishing himself as a first-team regular in 2020. Swindells scored 188 runs in the Bob Willis Trophy, including an unbeaten 52 off 68 deliveries against Nottinghamshire. He’s yet to produce consistent results with the bat but has the ability to be a middle-order matchwinner.
What can we expect from this team this season?
After 16 years in Division Two, Leicestershire finally have a chance to challenge for the County Championship title. They’re unlikely to challenge for the title, granted, but at least they have the option.
In Group Two with Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Middlesex, Somerset and Surrey, they have been dealt a tough hand by the ECB – and starting the season with Hampshire, Surrey and Somerset is the worst possible fixture list. But, with no one expecting to them to win, they can play with the same freedom which saw them upset Lancashire last season.
Leicestershire should target four wins from four against fellow Division Two regulars, Gloucestershire and Middlesex. If they can achieve that, grab a couple of draws – or maybe sneak a win – against the big boys, and coax their tailenders beyond 250, Leicestershire’s new-age Foxes will be up and running.
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