Mark Cosgrove revels in playing with freedom for Leicestershire

The 35-year-old already has 304 runs at an average of 33 this season after managing just 440 runs in the last campaign

Leicestershire batsman Mark Cosgrove believes playing with freedom will help him regain his status among the most prolific batsmen in county cricket.

The South Australian, who scored over 1,100 first-class runs in each of his first three seasons with the Foxes, and hit 11 centuries in that time, made only 440 runs last season, without reaching three figures and averaging only 18.

This season the 35-year-old already has 304 runs at an average of 33, and while not yet fully back to his destructive best, is beginning to play with something of his former fluency.

"I feel I'm hitting the ball really nicely, and though I’ve had a couple of poor decisions, you get them in cricket, and the big one is definitely around the corner.

"I tried to change a couple of things last year, which looking back probably didn't really need to be changed, and then I started to get frustrated because the work wasn't paying off. So I've gone back to playing as I always have - more free-flowing and just batting.

^{Cosgrove is back in form}

"I'd got out leg before a few times and I tried to change to counter that and maybe play a bit straighter. It felt good in the nets but it wasn't coming off in the middle and I let it get to me a bit."

Cosgrove is similarly convinced Leicestershire's batting unit is capable of consistently compiling the sort of totals needed to give an impressive seam attack the opportunity to win games.

The promotion of Hassan Azad to open, along with the return of Neil Dexter are particularly important in that respect, says Cosgrove.

"Hassan has been fantastic, he loves to bat time and that lets some of us play a little bit more freely, as you do when you have someone at the other end who is happy to chew up balls.

"Don't just look at his scores, look at the partnerships he's been involved with - there a lot of big ones. He's the smartest bloke in the dressing room no doubt, and very honest with himself. He got as tough lbw decision against Lancashire at Liverpool, but he was more cross with himself for giving the umpire a chance to make a decision.

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"I don't think we've had a steady opening partnership since I've been here and if Horts [captain Paul Horton] and Hass can become that it makes it a lot easier for those of us following to come in when the bowlers have got 30 or 40 overs under their belts."

Cosgrove was criticised for the manner of his dismissal in the defeat by Derbyshire, lofting a catch to long-on off the occasional off-spin of Wayne Madsen when apparently well set to guide the Foxes to victory.

"It didn't look great, but I'd rather get out like that than by missing a forward defensive and the bottom line is we still had enough [batsmen] in the shed to get the score.

"People look to be in form but we need that final bit of toughness. Dex [Neil Dexter] back gives us a few more options, and I'd love to see Tom Taylor and Neil in the team together, it would give us a lot more depth. We have that in our bowling now, and you need that in county cricket."

Cosgrove is unlikely to get his wish next week, when Gloucestershire are the visitors to the Fischer County Ground, starting on Monday. All-rounder Taylor (back) is bowling again, but not at full pace and will not be ready for the game, meaning the squad is likely to be unchanged from that for this week's match against Middlesex, when only 11 overs were possible.

Courtesy of the ECB reporters network

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