One-Day Cup final hero Harry Swindells earns new Leicestershire contract

Swindells thought he was making his final appearance for Leicestershire when he walked out to bat at Trent Bridge in the One-Day Cup final, but he produced a trophy-winning century to breathe new life into his career

Harry Swindells, Leicestershire's One-Day Cup final hero, has signed a new two-year contract with the county.

The wicketkeeper, who was only involved at Trent Bridge because overseas player Peter Handscomb had returned to Australia, hit 117 to propel Leicestershire out of the mire and into a position from which they beat Hampshire by two runs in mid-September.

It was a monumental effort from a player who was seemingly out of favour and set to be released at the end of his deal, having not played a List A match for 11 months or a County Championship game since 2022. His season before his career-changing knock amounted to eight T20 Blast matches.

So convinced was he that his time at Leicestershire – and perhaps in professional cricket – had come to an end, he had been searching the internet for job opportunities in mortgage advisory and cricket coaching in the hours before Alfonso Thomas, interim joint head coach at the time (he has since been appointed as the permanent head coach), phoned to inform him that he'd be taking the gloves in the final.

Even then, it looked likely to be his last appearance, with Leicestershire having brought in Ben Cox from Worcestershire to keep wicket, while Lewis Hill – the club captain – is also a keeping option, albeit reluctantly.

"I thought I wouldn't play a game of professional cricket ever again," he told The Cricketer. "I was just grateful for the 92 games I'd played before that, just hoping and praying for that one more opportunity to go out on a high and enjoy professional cricket for what it is."

He described the hundred moment as "probably the greatest feeling" he'd had on a cricket field.

^{Swindells made a career-saving century at Trent Bridge (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

"My mindset going into the final was just to enjoy it," he added, in an interview the week after the final, when his future was still in the air. "My life has felt in limbo a little bit, obviously hopeful of being a professional cricketer for the next 15 years, winning games for my team and having a very successful career, but the other side of it is the opportunities not being there, signing players in your position, becoming very vulnerable.

"But I love the club, I've been here for 16 years, I've been in the indoor school at Grace Road for 20 years. I will always try to do what's right by the club. I pride myself on working as hard as I possibly can to give myself the best possible chance to perform for any opportunity given to me. It has been tough, but it is something I'm very proud of, knowing that I could not have worked much harder.

"Because I've had so much time to think this season, it has given me a lot of thinking time, and that thinking time has given me a chance to put everything into perspective. I have a great family behind me, a great support network."

He added: "You realise where you've come from, all the hard work that my family have put into me. They've taken me to games as a youngster, listened to me rant with my frustrations. It was for them: I've hit a million cricket balls in my life, so I just let my natural instinct take over.

"I don't know how I got myself in that state, but probably just through a perspective on life, always relating it back to that little guy Harry, who fell in love with the game.

"Simple things, trying to get up at 7.30am or 8am, even on rest days, to try and get 10,000 steps in before 10am. That has been really nice, something I did in Australia, and I found a lot of peace from doing that. It has helped me to stay level and keep me physically probably in the best shape I've ever been.

"That has made me a lot mentally stronger, and it has helped me to feel very content with my life. A young Harry Swindells, playing for Leicestershire for the first time as an 11-year-old, getting a duck, would be grateful for the career I've had. I've just tried to keep that in perspective."