Boon: "We have belief"

Date: Monday 19 April 2010

Leicestershire Senior Coach Tim Boon was proud as punch with his charges after a fine 203-run win against Derbyshire yesterday.

Boon feels there is a real belief in the Leicestershire camp at the moment and said that the lads are enjoying their cricket.

Unsurprisingly, he was pleased with his team’s performance. “I’m absolutely delighted with the way that we performed and there’s a real belief in the dressing room at the moment that they can win,” said Boon.

“They stick to the task in hand without taking anything for granted and they are really enjoying their cricket, which is the main thing.

“We have had enough key performances to put us in winning situations. Full praise for Nathan Buck once again. He’s taken vital wickets and bowled exceptionally well.

“Claude Henderson is being economical and taking wickets too. We’ve had some vital catching at slips which we’ve missed out on in previous years.

“I thought we all stuck to our tasks very well and special praise also for Chalky (Wayne White), who played a pivotal role in turning the game around on Saturday.

“We lost four soft wickets and his hundred turned the game back into our favour. The partnership with Bucky was crucial and meant they were chasing 400.

“Leaving them 300 may or may not have been enough, so Chalky was my man of the match; fittingly he took a diving catch at the end to finish things off. The celebrations in the changing room at the end said it all.”

In many respects, Boon felt the display was better than the opening victory of the season against Northants.

“I think it was a better win than the one against Northamptonshire,” said Boon. “The victory was well-earned on a wicket which became more placid on the final day.

“It was a better win than the last one because they were just one down at lunchtime. To take five wickets in the period between lunch and tea was vital and we then kept going after tea.

“The wickets created momentum going into the last hour but they bat all the way down. Steffan Jones had made a first-class hundred and Tim Groenewald can bat.

“Derbyshire are an excellent team in with a good chance of promotion at the end of the season. They are a very efficient side and work hard. They all know their roles very well.”

The key now, Boon feels, is for the team to keep improving. The next Championship game will be at fellow pacesetters Sussex, so the players will not be resting on their laurels following two wins out of two thus far,

Still, everyone – including Boon – was entitled to enjoy the moment of a first away Championship win since 2006.

“It’s nice to see the batters all have runs under their belts and all of the bowlers are contributing,” he said.

“It has been a great team effort but I still believe we can play better – as all coaches would say!

“But I’m very, very happy with our performance. We’ve beaten a very good team and it was a very good away victory.”