Eckersley & Shreck commit futures to LCCC

Leicestershire CCC has been given a double boost ahead of this week's important Specsavers County Championship game with Essex as Ned Eckersley and Charlie Shreck have committed their futures to the club.

Eckersley has signed until at least the end of the 2018 season while Shreck has agreed a one-year extension to his contract, taking him through until at least the end of the 2017 campaign.

The recently turned 27-year-old Eckersley has been in magnificent form, putting his name in the history books in the last few weeks.

Firstly, Eckersley became only the second Leicestershire batsman to score two first-class hundreds in the same match on more than one occasion as the team drew against Derbyshire.

Making two centuries in the same game has been achieved 13 times in the club’s history with Maurice Hallam holding the record after superb efforts in 1959 (210* & 157 vs Glamorgan), 1961 (203* & 143* vs Sussex) and 1965 (107* & 149* vs Worcestershire). Eckersley has the latest two instances following his previous effort against Worcestershire in 2013.

The batsman then scored 107 at Northants to make it three successive first-class hundreds for Leicestershire. It was the fourth instance in the club’s history with only two batsmen having previously achieving the feat, CS ‘Stewie’ Dempster (1937 & 1938) and Ben Smith (2001).

Eckersley has an impressive career record for the club, posting 4,501 first-class runs at an average of 34.62 since making his debut in 2011. He has passed 50 on 26 occasions for Leicestershire and turned half of those into three-figure scores, which is a terrific conversion rate.

Shreck has taken 128 first-class wickets for Leicestershire at an average of 35.20, including a best return of 5-71 in the Specsavers County Championship win at Essex last summer. That wicket tally is the most by any Leicestershire bowler since the 2014 season got underway, following on from successful spells at Nottinghamshire at Kent.

The 38-year-old was the club’s joint leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket during his first season at the club, passed the 50-wicket mark in 2015, and has played in every Specsavers County Championship fixture in 2016, taking 29 wickets at an average of 36.41.

Shreck has also contributed in other areas, such as a sparkling half-century with the bat at the Oval in 2014, helping younger players at the club, and by making some useful contributions in white ball cricket in his time at the Fischer County Ground.

Leicestershire CCC Chief Executive Wasim Khan MBE said: “It is fantastic news that Ned and Charlie have committed their futures to Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

“Ned has played a key role for us this season. The fact that he has broken some long-standing records for centuries batting at number seven, particularly after bouncing back from the disappointment of a pre-season injury, shows his class and character. We look forward to Ned making many more runs for us in the future.

“Charlie has also made a huge contribution since joining Leicestershire County Cricket Club, averaging around 43 wickets per season with four games still to play in 2016. Charlie has continued to put in consistent performances on the field and is a popular and valuable member of the dressing room.”