Dieter Klein Departs Club To Take Up Surrey Role

Leicestershire CCC can today confirm Dieter Klein has departed the Club’s coaching setup to take up a new post with Surrey Women.

The 36-year-old held the dual role of Pathway Coach and Leicestershire Women Assistant Coach for the past three years, working alongside Stephen Franklin to deliver T20 and East of England Championship titles, as well as prepare the Club for its new chapter as a Tier Two county.

Klein - who took 116 wickets for the Foxes during a six-season stint as a player - began his coaching career with Leicestershire Under-18 Girls upon his release in October 2021, before starting work with the Boys’ Pathway at Under-12 level the following spring.

He later stepped up to Under-13 and Under-14 level as an Emerging Players Programme (EPP) coach “ a role which also saw him assist the development of bowlers such as Alex Green and Josh Hull as they were fast tracked from Academy to First Team cricket.

Discussing his departure from Uptonsteel County Ground, Klein said: “Obviously it’s very difficult to say goodbye, because Leicestershire has been my home since I came to England. I just felt after the work I’ve done here, this was the perfect opportunity for me to continue to progress as a coach.

“I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunities, the knowledge, and the love Leicestershire has given me. To work across all age groups through to the Men and Women’s First Teams has been invaluable and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every step of that journey.

“I’m so proud to see where our Women’s team has gone. We worked so hard to get to Tier Two and after seeing the squad we’ve assembled for next year, the future is certainly bright. I’m very confident Franky [Head Coach; Stephen Franklin] and Anand [Assistant Coach; Anand Patel] will keep the team moving in the right direction. I’ll definitely be back to support the girls and watch their progress.”

Director of Cricket, Claude Henderson, said: “Dieter has been a brilliant ambassador for our Pathway sides and Leicestershire Women. He’s played a crucial role in helping us uphold the Club’s proud tradition of developing young players, as well as lay the foundations for our transition into Tier Two cricket. We wish him well in his next chapter.”

Anand Patel will continue the role of Leicestershire Women’s Assistant Coach heading into the 2025 season, having assisted Stephen Franklin alongside Klein last summer.

Dieter leaves with the warmest wishes of everyone at Leicestershire CCC, and the Club would like to thank him for his outstanding service as a player and coach across the past nine years.