Leicestershire Cricket Club: Alfonso Thomas and James Taylor to continue as temporary head coaches
Former South Africa Seamer Joins Leicestershire as Joint Interim Head Coach
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In an unexpected move, former South African seamer Alfonso Thomas has joined Leicestershire County Cricket Club as joint interim head coach alongside ex-England batter James Taylor until the end of the season. Thomas, who had been serving as assistant coach under Paul Nixon before his removal on June 22nd, expressed that he is not looking to assume the position permanently and will only be in charge until the conclusion of the current campaign.
“I have no intention of applying for the job,” Thomas confirmed. “As far as I’m concerned, this is just a temporary role until season’s end.”
The decision not to pursue a permanent head coaching role at this stage comes after Thomas enjoyed a successful playing career where he claimed an impressive total of 1,029 wickets across all three formats during his time with Somerset spanning seven years.
Upon joining Grace Road in March earlier this year to work closely with Nixon and director of cricket Claude Henderson – who remains at the club – Thomas emphasizes that he does not harbor ambitions to take on sole responsibility for leading Leicestershire forward:
“Personally, I ended my playing career in 2015, and since then, there were other aspirations and journeys that I wished to embark upon. It’s not something I feel the need to rush into,” Thomas revealed during an interview .
Thomas is content with his current role as assistant coach and working closely with the bowlers alongside whoever takes over as head coach: “I find fulfillment in what I’m currently doing – supporting the bowlers and assisting anyone who steps into this position.”
Last week, Leicestershire County Cricket Club found themselves embroiled in controversy when Nixon was abruptly placed on gardening leave. However, chief executive Sean Jarvis dismissed claims of a club crisis:
“There are always two sides to every story; it’s important to remember that,” stated Thomas.
Nixon’s absence did not hinder Leicestershire’s performance as they fought for a draw against Durham in their first County Championship match since his departure. Peter Handscomb played a vital role by scoring an unbeaten century that propelled the Foxes to second place in Division Two after eight games.
Reflecting on the team’s display of resilience, Thomas praised their tenacity: “The players demonstrated remarkable determination out on the field. During our winter training sessions, we emphasized the importance of being tough competitors and staying competitive throughout matches. While this particular game may not have been ideal for us overall, we must work on starting games stronger and giving ourselves more opportunities to compete over four days. This team truly shines when faced with adversity – it brings out their best qualities.