Boon signs new deal

Leicestershire CCC confirmed today that Senior Coach Tim Boon has signed a contract extension to keep him at the Club to December 2011.

Boon, who rejoined the club in 2006 after previously having a successful career at Leicestershire, helped to win the Twenty20 Cup in his first season in charge.

He has since gone about a rebuilding process at Grace Road and given lots of young players their opportunity in the first team.

Boon previously worked within the England set-up, and after having coached the Under 19 side, went on to become Team Analyst under Duncan Fletcher.

He played an important role in helping England to win the Ashes in the epic series of 2005 and is a popular, hard-working and successful coach at the Club.

Leicestershire Chief Executive David Smith is pleased he has signed an extension. He said: ‘‘I am delighted that Tim has extended his contract with the club.

“I must place on record my appreciation of the hard work that has been undertaken by Tim Boon and all his coaching staff. I am very keen that we develop continuity right the way through the Club.

“When Tim took over the club in February 2006, the development plan for our young cricketers had not been fully implemented with the Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Board.

“In the last 18 months the Club has provided the England age group set up with eight players, James Taylor, Josh Cobb, Greg Smith, Nathan Buck, Alex Wyatt, Shiv Thakor, Ben Collins and Tom Wells.

“This has gone in line with our aim of producing a consistent pipeline of good young English qualified players, developed through the Leicestershire and Rutland system. There are others already identified to follow.

“James Taylor has also been selected for the England Lions tour in February; this is a further testimony to the excellent work of the clubs coaching staff.

“We are totally committed to producing young players through our development system and Tim has a big part to play in the future of Leicestershire cricket.”

Boon's signing of a contract is the latest good news to come from the Club this winter. Leics have already secured the services of Matthew Hoggard as new Club Captain, Andrew McDonald has signed as overseas player and Will Jefferson and James Benning have also been added to the squad.

Brad Hodge will join for the new Friends Provident Twenty20 competition and James Taylor, Josh Cobb, Nathan Buck, Greg Smith, Wayne White, Jigar Naik, Claude Henderson, AJ Harris and Tom New have all recently signed new deals at Grace Road.