Leics can achieve 'something special' - Taylor

Former England player James Taylor rejoined Leicestershire as assistant head coach in 2023

James Taylor says Leicestershire are capable of "something special" as they chase their first ever County Championship promotion.

The Foxes were a Division One side when the competition was split into two tiers in 2000 - and, after being relegated in 2003, have never been back in the top flight.

Leicestershire assistant coach Taylor says the club, who remain the only team to have never been promoted, are in a "great position" as they sit fourth in the Division Two table with five games remaining.

"We know we are at the crunch stage of the season," former England batter Taylor told BBC Radio Leicester.

"We can't look too far ahead because we have five long games to go, but we are hard to beat and that is a really good place to be.

"We have a really great squad that really can achieve something special."

Leicestershire's attention for the remainder of the campaign will be on the longest format of the game, having had their One-Day Cup defence ended at the semi-final stage by Somerset on Sunday.

After again challenging for silverware in the 50-over game this season, Leicestershire have shown themselves to be a competitive first-class county after years of derision.

Before last season, their results had been so poor that questions were asked about why the club should be allowed to survive.

They had finished bottom of Division Two of the County Championship seven times between 2011 and 2022 - and had gone winless in the red-ball game in four of those seasons.

Last term, however, they finished fourth in the table with three wins and seven draws.

This season, they have only been beaten once so far and have drawn seven of their nine matches to sit fourth in the standings.

"We are adding or cementing a real foundation at Leicestershire that allows guys to perform in red-ball and white-ball cricket and be consistent with bat and ball in both formats," said Taylor.

"It's exciting to see and it's great for Leicestershire to be so consistent two years on the bounce. We are competing for trophies again and we are competing to be promoted again."

Captain Lewis Hill, who made his Leicestershire first-class debut in 2015, says everyone at the club can be "really proud" of how they have turned its fortunes around.

"Being successful and competitive on the pitch makes me really proud as a Leicester lad," he said.

"Hopefully we can keep doing that and finish the season strong.

"I'm really looking forward to this period, because I think we can make a bit of history for the club."

Leicestershire are back in action on Thursday, as they start their four-day Division Two game at Gloucestershire.