Jones ready for Pears reunion

New Leicestershire loanee Richard Jones is looking forward to taking on his former county Worcestershire in the Specsavers County Championship on Sunday (11am start).

The 29-year-old seamer - on a month's loan from Warwickshire -  grew up watching the Pears and began his professional career at New Road before moving to Edgbaston.

He is now keen to help the Foxes avenge their seven-wicket defeat in the corresponding fixture at the Fischer County Ground in May.

Jones said: "Worcestershire is a club that's quite close to my heart, I grew up supporting them and travelling around the country with my dad watching them play. I played against Worcestershire for Leicestershire two years ago and this is a game I'm really looking to playing in.”

With the ability to both swing the ball and bowl at a lively pace, Jones made a good impression for Leicestershire in this week’s draw against Gloucestershire, taking the first wicket to fall and being the pick of the County attack.

The bowler has played 51 first-class matches in his career, claiming 151 wickets in the process, and is determined to add further to that tally during his time here at the FCG.

Having had a previous loan spell with the Foxes in 2014 - taking 5-34 against Lancashire Lightning in NatWest T20 Blast on his debut for the club - Jones already feels at home.

He said: “I see this as a huge opportunity and I’m grateful to Leicestershire for providing it and to Warwickshire for allowing me to come.

“I feel I’ve been bowling pretty well all year, the ball has been coming out nicely and I’ve had a decent rhythm, but not having been in the plans at Warwickshire, it’s great to be playing competitively.

“It helps that I had a short spell on loan here in 2014, when I made a great start but then unfortunately picked up an injury, so it’s familiar surroundings for me.”

Much has changed since Jones first pulled on a County shirt, though, he says, and the bowler is keen to help the club build on the positive work that they've been doing out on the field.

He said: “The atmosphere in the dressing room seems top drawer, Macca [Elite Performance Director Andrew McDonald] has made a massive improvement compared to the last time I was here.

“The boys have been playing some really good cricket despite not having much luck with the weather. I’m hoping I can contribute to a pretty good season for Leicestershire.”

Confidence is high among the Foxes players after the dramatic final-day victory over league-leaders Essex at Chelmsford last week, and although the rain ruined the game against Gloucestershire, County are within ten points of leaders Kent with a game in hand.

An assured century from Neil Dexter, his second of the season, helped Leicestershire to pick up three batting points against Gloucestershire.

The loss of 48 overs on day two and the abandonment of the entire third day's play, made the draw somewhat inevitable. Having seen more than 950 overs of championship cricket lost to the elements this season, Leicestershire will be hoping for better luck when they visit New Road.

County has made one addition to the squad named to face Gloucestershire with Ben Raine returning after being rested.

Worcestershire are playing good cricket in 2016 and youngsters Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Brett D’Oliveira have each passed 500 runs in the competition. Joe Leach is their leading wicket-taker with 28, three behind Leicestershire seamer Clint McKay.

Squad: Robson, Horton, Dexter, Cosgrove (captain), Pettini, Ali, Eckersley (w/k), Raine, Taylor, McKay, Jones, Shreck, Sykes.