Leicestershire Monthly Report - November 2021

Thanks for taking time out to read my monthly update. I hope you find this, the latest one (and the previous ones) useful and informative.

My aim since joining the Club has always been one of trying to improve communication as to what is going on and how we are developing as a Club.

For my update this month, I want to start by saying there is ‘no place for racism… end of’. As we have seen in ‘Cricket Plc’ there has been a watershed moment. This is to be welcomed, not only for Cricket but for society as a whole. The key is to listen and learn. We must all evolve and improve our culture.

Since my time at Leicestershire, I have been heartened by the staff and their approach to ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’. We encourage open and honest dialogue, and consequently we then look to improve as a group how we can develop. For example, through our Company Pillar, we are ensuring all staff have access to and undergo ‘EDI’ training’. For me it’s about education, learning and progressing. With the staff we have here, including many different backgrounds, I am certain Leicestershire will be a leading light in this area. Please be assured, this isn’t a statement to say we’ve got it right. Far from it, but what we have got right is a group of people that have a real passion to make a difference. 

Furthermore, the new plan released by the ECB will also help us develop our strategies and it is to be welcomed. Again, it can’t be one that’s read and filed away, it must evolve daily.

It would be remiss of me here not to mention the departure of our Chair, Mehmooda Duke. She has decided to step down and we published an article on our website. I would like to pay tribute to the work she did at the Club and working with me to ensure that Leicestershire continues to head in the right direction. This is a sad loss for the Club but under her stewardship we have a good launchpad for the future. The show must go on and with the board, we are committed to ensuring Leicestershire CCC continues to progress in all areas of our business. The Board will continue to evolve and am certain as each new chapter is written there will be more and more excitement to come.

Hopefully you will have noticed we are holding a members’ forum at the UptonSteel County Ground on December 8^th 2021. I look forward to meeting members new and old. At that meeting I intend elaborating on our ‘Five Step Strategy for 2022’. For more information on the forum please visit our website, in the meantime I look forward to meeting you.

At this point, I’ll give you a brief update across our five pillars starting with Cricket.

 The focus has been firmly on fitness. As usual the lads have returned to the dreaded ‘bleep test’. This year I didn’t get a chance to watch them, but I understand the ‘crown’ once again went to the machine that is Nat Bowley, closely followed by our Vice Captain Callum Parkinson.

 What I am also hearing from our new Director of Cricket is that there appears to be a real hunger this year and the lads are desperate to build on the great foundations they achieved last year.

 Our squad also is taking great shape with the confirmation of 3 overseas players. Firstly, it’s really good to see Naveen return but also the very exciting prospect of his team mate Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Having watched him during the T20 World Cup and recent T10 tournament, Grace Road is set for ‘Heavy Metal Cricket’ for our T20 nights. And if you are walking down Aylestone Road on one of those nights... beware as ‘Gurboss’ can hit the ball a ‘country mile’.

 Also, I hope you have seen that we have signed another exciting prospect. This time its Wiaan Mulder, a brilliant all-rounder from South Africa. We did try and sign Wiaan a couple of seasons ago but sadly Covid restricted his travel. I know Paul Nixon speaks highly of Wiaan so we can’t wait to see him in action.

 Whilst we have signed 3 overseas players, we still have room for one more, so please keep your eyes peeled on our official channels.

For the cash pillar of the Club.

 We are currently having our year end accounts audited, so will bring you news of those in due course. I will however state that following a year of mitigation and hard work by the staff, combined will brilliant support of all the ‘running foxes’, we are hopeful we can bring you some positive news.

Onto Commercial.

  This Pillar is working hard at the moment as it’s all about renewals and memberships. I know it’s only the first month of our new financial year but there are some really encouraging signs. As part of a commercial restructure, we now have three subdivisions of our commercial offering. They are 1, Corporates; which includes all our corporate partners, advertising and all the business sales, 2 Consumer Sales; includes the likes of memberships, merchandise and indoor school usage and finally 3, Conference and Banqueting; which includes the likes of xmas parties and room hire.  

 So far, the commercial team have got off to a great start with corporate sales up by 23%, Consumer sales up by 74% and C and B sales up by 48%. There is clearly a long way to go but that really is a good opening!

 To that effect I would encourage that you please continue to support us where you can. Whether it’s purchasing a new item from our retail store or buying a membership, every penny that comes into your club will be reinvested. As always thanks for your continued support.

Finally, a brief report on our Company Pillar.

We recently held a meeting with the ECB, that acted as a check for us on how we are undertaking our Governance. In simple we are on track and continuing to evolve as a business. Like most businesses there is much to be done, but with the help of the ECB, positive strides are being made. In our Company Pillar we are also working on one of our major strategies which is improving the customer journey at the Club. If you attend the members forum, you’ll get a first glimpse of what we are trying to achieve… now surely that’s an incentive to attend!

 That’s it for this month, but as always I look forward to catching up again next month.

 Kindest regards,

 Sean