Foxes unchanged for Kent visit

Elite Performance Director Andrew McDonald was delighted with the side’s display at Glamorgan but has challenged them to improve as Kent visit the Fischer County Ground on Sunday (11am start).

The team battled hard to claim a first innings lead and then drove home their advantage to claim 23 points from the contest.

McDonald said that all eyes are now firmly fixed on the next game with the focus on continuing to get better.

McDonald said: "It was a very professional performance and I am very pleased with the way we've started the season. A lot of preparation has gone in and the guys thoroughly deserved the win.

“It was pretty clinical on the last day in Cardiff and to be none down in the chase was great, Paul Horton and Angus Robson were exceptional.

"There is now another game against Kent but quick turnarounds are the norm. Everybody has come out of the game pretty well and Mark Pettini improved over the course of the game, so he’s taken his place in the squad.

"We'll assess the best formula for the Fischer County Ground track, there's been a lot of work going on at the ground and it will be good to play there. It's like we have a new home with the floodlights and other work.

"We're looking to keep improving across the journey of 16 Championship games and we're going to need to improve if we're to achieve our goals.

“The bar's been lifted but that's what we expected with a few changes. There's going to be competition for places and that's healthy, it drives teams to more success.

“We're looking forward to guys knocking down the door and pressing for selection but it was also fantastic that the players who were selected took the first opportunity.”

McDonald was particularly pleased with the way that everybody supported one another and stood up when required at Glamorgan. A key factor in that is the addition of senior players such as Horton, Pettini and Neil Dexter, who will be taking on one of his former teams this weekend along with Niall O’Brien and Charlie Shreck.

"We pride ourselves on our lower order being able to contribute significantly, Niall O'Brien and Paul Horton were outstanding and then we had good contributions right down the order,” said McDonald.

“The bowlers then took it in their own hands, we thought we could have been better in the first innings and the way that the guys came back and improved in the second innings was outstanding.

"Our bowlers rested up well and the 427 over 130 overs meant that they were able for them to come in fresh. Their bowlers may have been a bit more tired and that's the war of attrition over four days.

"We've got four leaders in and around Mark Cosgrove. Their contributions have been significant in the off-season, and the way that Cozzie and Clint have come back over and gelled has been fantastic too. They're always talking, coming up with ideas and being creative.”

Leicestershire has named an unchanged squad for the game against Kent, so Aadil Ali and Zak Chappell are in contention alongside the XI who claimed an emphatic victory at Glamorgan.

Leics (from): Cosgrove (captain), Horton (vice captain), O’Brien (w/k), Robson, Dexter, Pettini, Ali, Naik, White, Raine, McKay, Chappell, Shreck.