Handscomb will skipper Foxes in T20 campaign
GIVEN THE JOB AFTER LEADING TEAM THREE TIMES IN 2023
LEICESTERSHIRE have appointed Australia international Peter Handscomb as the club’s new T20 captain,
The 33-year-old led the Foxes on three occasions at the end of the 2023 Vitality Blast campaign, and will now take the reins on a permanent basis as Leicestershire hunt their fourth T20 title this summer.
A seasoned T20 competitor, Handscomb has made 122 appearances in the format – scoring 1,880 runs at an average of 22.65.
His finest hour came for Melbourne Stars during victory over Perth Scorchers in the 2014/15 Big Bash, with Handscomb hitting an unbeaten 103 from just 64 balls to single-handedly steer his side to a three-wicket win.
As well as making five appearances for the Foxes in the Vitality Blast last season, the Australian international has previously represented Gloucestershire, Yorkshire, and Durham in English T20 cricket, while he averages 33 for his country in the format.
Handscomb has vast leadership experience, having skippered hometown club Victoria on 90 occasions, as well as captaining Durham, Hobart Hurricanes, and Middlesex before his arrival at Uptonsteel County Ground.
He said: “I’m very excited to lead this team. The balance of the side looks good and hopefully we can perform to the standards we’ve set ourselves.
“We showed in the One-Day Cup last year what we can do in whiteball cricket, so it’s an exciting prospect to try and replicate that in the T20s this year. We want to entertain and play a fun brand of cricket.”
Leicestershire’s director of cricket Claude Henderson said: “Pete holds all the necessary qualities we are looking for in a captain.
“Not only does he possess extensive leadership experience, but he is also an incredibly calm head on the field and a highly respected voice in the changing room.”
Leicestershire Foxes will be boosted by the additions of Ben Mike, Liam Trevaskis, Scott Currie, and 2018 Blast winner Ben Cox.
Overseas star Wiaan Mulder will also return in time for the competition following a spectacular run of T20 form in South Africa.