Leicestershire County Cricket Club’s resurgence since the appointment of head coach Alfonso Thomas has been nothing short of extraordinary. Even away from the pitch, the team has gone through notable trials and tribulations within the Championship. Since 2011, they’ve never been promoted and have come in last place seven times. The positive repercussion of this unfortunate spell are recent performances, which indicate a positive turn in their fortunes. They have produced five victories in their first seven games this season. This earned them an impressive haul of overall wins in the second tier of red-ball cricket between 2019-2024. That’s the same number as their all-time record high.
Thomas has been appointed permanent head coach since Leicestershire’s One-Day Cup triumph two summers ago. To this point he’s been an integral piece of their resurgence. He first took charge as interim head coach during their Cup-winning run in 2023. Under his guidance, the team has shown a newfound resilience and competitive spirit, qualities that were often lacking in previous seasons.
Even with all these positive developments, Thomas is the first to admit that changing Leicestershire’s fortunes will take time. He does admit that he feels as though the club is a full season ahead of where he envisioned them at this point in time. “To change things around was never going to happen overnight,” he stated, emphasizing the gradual progress being made.
The team’s recent success is evident in their bowling attack. Thomas noted, “With the make-up of our bowling attack, we have four seamers that are very stingy, very disciplined, and then I have got a bit of X-factor with a Josh Hull and a Ben Mike – that seemed to work and it is working at the moment.” Web contributor Ian Holland has mixed doggedness with dash to emerge as the division’s top wicket-taker. In those conditions, he has taken 28 wickets at an astounding average of just over 17 runs per wicket.
Leicestershire’s previous failures were so dire that at times their existence as a first-class county was doubted owing to their under-performance. Thomas is determined to change that narrative. He remarked, “Last year it was more a case of us being tougher to beat,” highlighting the team’s evolution from simply avoiding defeats to actively pursuing victories.
The club has an incredible and storied tradition. From 1996 to 1998, it raised two County Championship trophies and secured the T20 championship three times. They aren’t doing it just to prove their critics wrong. They’re a great example of passion on display as they work to get back on top of the county circuit.
Thomas remains realistic about the challenges ahead. He stated, “And it is baby steps at the moment, there is a method and it is working.” His strategic approach focuses on taking essential wickets, as he put it succinctly: “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what it takes to win four-day games of cricket – you have to take 20 wickets.”
Leicestershire is continuing to capitalise on its recent success. Even the most steely-eyed fans and critics have begun to entertain the notion that this just might be the year it all comes together for the club. With Thomas at the helm, they are not just aiming for survival but eyeing promotion and success in the Championship.
Leave a Reply