Leicestershire CCC: How crushing defeats turned into 'tears of joy'

An empty ground. A forlorn Leicestershire fan left without cricket to watch after another crushing and hastily delivered defeat.

This was the desolate backdrop that inspired Leicestershire head coach Alfonso Thomas to try and change an all-too-familiar scene at the Uptonsteel County Ground.

It came with a euphoric flourish last season as seven County Championship wins - as many at the Foxes had managed in the six previous red-ball campaigns combined – earned Leicestershire the Division Two title and promotion.

"It was awesome to have people last year coming up to us with tears of joy," Thomas told BBC East Midlands Today.

"I had a member come to me and say that a couple of years ago they bought their membership and a game started on a Thursday but by the Saturday, when they could actually come, the game was done.

"It's those kind of stories that we used to inspire us.

"Thinking back to 12 months ago, what I wanted was to give the people of Leicestershire a team and squad that they could be really proud of. And I think we achieved that last year."

Leicestershire last played in Division One of the County Championship in 2003.

Before 2025, the Foxes were the only club never to be promoted since the County Championship was split into two divisions at the turn of the century.

And while Leicestershire have a celebrated history in the county game, having won the title three times in 1975, 1996, 1998, they found themselves needing to justify their status as a first-class outfit after years of struggles.

In the 14 years before finishing top of Division Two, Leicestershire had finished bottom of the table seven times and gone winless in the red-ball game in four of those seasons.

Last season Thomas spoke of how Leicestershire were "laughed at and mocked" and yet, for however remarkable the turnaround was, the South African is determined to avoid the club-redefining achievement becoming a distraction.

"It's something we don't want to harp on too much about, we don't want to make a big deal out of it," he said.

"Last season was fantastic. To go and achieve what we achieved, winning Division Two, exceeded a lot of expectations and was something we set out to do in 2026, so to be able to achieve it is 2025 was a massive.

"We are ahead of schedule. Now it's a fresh season and it's great challenge to get to Division One."

A majority of those who helped the Foxes to that historic promotion, including England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed, opening batter Sol Budinger and the long-serving Lewis Hill remain on their return to the top flight.

And while influential captain Peter Handscomb was ruled out for the season a week before it was set to start, the blow was quickly cushioned by the recruitment of fellow Australian Jake Weatherald for the opening weeks of the campaign.

Thomas said "experience" was a trait focused on when recruiting for the milestone campaign that starts at home against Sussex on Friday.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall arrives from Yorkshire, seamer Josh Davey has joined from Somerset and New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel moves back to the English game with Leicestershire, while Ben Green and Stephen Eskinazi have made their moves to Grace Road permanent.

Leicestershire assistant coach James Taylor, a former England batter and selector who started his playing career with the East Midlands side, admits their return to Division One after more than two decades away "will be a serious challenge".

"We have some seriously talented, skillful and relentlessly disciplined boys in our squad," Taylor said.

"And we have also recruited really well, adding experience, some really good leadership qualities as well guys who have past success in the first division as well.

"We know there will be a step up, but if we show the skills, the concentration and discipline that we showed last year, we should be in a good place."

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