2007 Season Preview
Those of us who though 2006 was a tough season, then be prepared for an even tougher year in 2007!
The loss of Darren Maddy to Warwickshire is an immense blow to Leicestershire and despite tabling a 2 year contract offer, you kind of get the feeling that the club did not try hard enough to keep him. Furthermore, Maddy has not been replaced whatsoever and what I am keen to know is where has the money, which was offered to Darren for his new deal, disappeared to? It is blatantly obvious it has not gone on overseas players as 
the Foxes have re-recruited Pakistani all rounder Mansoor Amjad. The 19 year old spent an unimpressive couple of weeks with the County last season as a stand in for the equally uninspiring Dinesh Mongia and his signing shows signs of desperation. Overseas players should be in a different class to the majority of the County's domestic players, not a teenager still finding their feet!
RP Singh arrived as Leicestershire's second overseas player last month. The 21 year old has represented India at Test and One-Day level but was not selected in their World Cup squad. His arrival hardly sparked widespread excitement in Leicestershire but at least he has some internatinal experience which should hold him in good stead.
David Stiff was the only other player to sign over the winter break but he was hardly a new signing as he spent much of last season in Leicestershire's Second team on loan from Kent and it looks likely that the majority of his cricket in 2007 will be with the seconds.
Last season was all about HD Ackerman as the South African fell just short of 2,000 Championship runs and he will need to show similar form this year to prop up a below par batting line up. Paul Nixon and Stuart Broad are likely to represent Engalnd regularly this term, so this means Tom New, Nick Walker and Ryan Cummins will get more chances in the pair's absence. New, who comes into the reckoning as a batsman, will now get the chance to show of his glovework behind the stumps whilst Walker and Cummins will need to show more consistency after glimpses of promise were shown sporadically last year.
John Maunders and John Sadler have been threatening big things for anumber of seasons and last year both made progress. The best friends will both be looking to top 1,000 runs in 2007 and they do have the talent to achieve this. Darren Robinson will skipper the Championship side and despite under performing last season, he hit 1,000 runs in a season in the 2 previous years and will be looking for a similar return to ways this year.
One player to watch is all rounder Jimmy Allenby. The Australian with English citizenship was a star in Twenty20 cricket last season and made his mark with a century on Championship debut in the final game of the season versus Essex. The 24 year old is expected to be a regular in all forms of the game this term and his batting, fielding and bowling will all play a part.
Paul Harrison, in his few appearances in 2006, showed that he can be an explosive batsman and he should be seen regularky in one day matches and Dan Rowe is highly regarded by many and possesses the ability to be a geniune all rounder. Local lads Harry Gurney and Jigar Naik will have to wait for their chances as they are away with Bradfore/Leeds UCCE and Loughborough UCCE respectively. Left arm seamer and Loughborough born Gurney is another who is highly rated down at Grace Road and showed glimpses in the second team last year that suggest he could be a threat in the future.
Claude Henderson, will no doubt be as consistent as ever with bat and ball and with Ackerman is surely one of the first names on the team sheet. He will share spinning duties with Mansoor Amjad in the Championship and will be joined by Jeremy Snape in one-day matches. County captain, Snape, will somewhat bizarrely not be playing much first class cricket this year but his guile and intelligence will be a key factor, especially during the Twenty20. 
It's true, Leicestershire do possess a squad that is understrength compared with other counties but only time will tell if they compete in all forms of cricket and with the loss of Darren Maddy, can we expect more Twenty20 glory? Probably not!
