Welch impressed with Foxes

Assistant Coach Graeme Welch believes that Leicestershire CCC can achieve “something special” in the coming years.

The 44-year-old, who has previously coached at Essex, Warwickshire and Derbyshire, is excited by what he has seen since starting his new role in November.

Welch has been helping to put the players through their paces both in the UK and on the pre-season tour to South Africa, where the bowling attack have looked very sharp.

He said: “Every player I’ve worked with has shown the right attitude and a real desire to improve, regardless of their age or the amount of games they have played in their career.

“We’ve had Charlie Shreck, who turned 39 last month, working on his skills and throwing himself around in fielding practice just as much as Zak Chappell and Callum Parkinson, who are the youngest bowlers on the tour. That’s the perfect example to set and the lads have been different class.

“They took what they have been practising in the nets into the games against Titans and Lions and did well in tough conditions. We have played against good teams on good pitches in good weather, and they are all in peak form given the South Africa domestic season is coming to an end.

“The bowlers looked to be aggressive and take wickets, and that will stand us in good stead for the start of the season.

“There’s a great work ethic among the squad and the bowling unit has bonded well. We have lots of different options and skill-sets, and selecting a team for the first game won’t be easy.”

Welch forms part of a new-look coaching structure at the club with Pierre de Bruyn as Head Coach, John Sadler as Second XI Coach and Andy Siddall as Academy Director.

He has enjoyed working with the management team over the winter programme and on the pre-season tour and is also relishing the opportunity to work with Chief Executive Wasim Khan MBE, a former Warwickshire teammate.

“Pierre is a terrific man with a great cricketing brain and is fantastic to be around, I’ve really enjoyed working with him and learning from him,” said Welch. “The foundations have been put in place and we’re all set for the start of the season.

“Sads (John Sadler) is somebody I know very well from my time at Derbyshire. He is an excellent coach and, again, is a top person, as is Sids (Andy Siddall).

“We have a fine science and medicine team and it’s also been good to work with Crofton (Alexander) and Rob (Leather). The players are looking fit and strong and that’s testament to the work they have done all winter.

“I grew up playing alongside Wasim, he’s somebody I’ve known for many years. When I came to speak to him about the job here, and in also speaking to Pierre, I knew it was the right type of challenge for me.

“Wasim and Pierre sold me their vision for the club and I was so impressed with what is trying to be delivered here. The club are looking to really kick on and I genuinely believe that we can achieve something special here. Wasim and Pierre are both ambitious and their plans mirror that.”

Leicestershire’s bowling attack is similar to the squad in general with a wealth of experience and some exciting young prospects.

A big part of Welch’s job will be to gel it together and bring out the best in them, just as he did so successfully with Warwickshire.

At Edgbaston, a five-pronged seam attack of Chris Woakes, Keith Barker, Chris Wright, Rikki Clarke and Boyd Rankin all thrived under the watchful eye of Welch, who is just as excited about his latest challenge.

“There’s a real maturity about the way the lads go about their games,” he said. “We have a lot of talented young players and they have been first-class in training sessions and have already started to thrive in match situations.

“The conversations the bowlers have been having have demonstrated a real cricket intelligence and they are all spurring themselves on to achieve more. Even though they have bowled well in the two tour games, they understand there’s a need to improve and have said as much.

“I’ve played in many different teams and coached at different clubs too, and I just feel so excited about what we have here.

“Everyone was delighted when Aadil (Ali), Lew (Lewis Hill) and Tom (Wells) scored hundreds on the tour. When you have a group of players rooting for each other to do well, and celebrating each other’s success, you know you are on to something.”