Cricket Dec 07, 2025

County Championship cricket: Leicestershire promoted to Division One after over 20 years in second tier

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
County Championship cricket: Leicestershire promoted to Division One after over 20 years in second tier

Leicestershire will play in the top flight of the County Championship for the first time in over two decades after sealing a long-awaited promotion.

The Foxes were relegated from Division One in 2003 after finishing bottom and have featured in the second tier ever since.

Leicestershire were the only team yet to be promoted since the Championship split into two divisions in 2000 but ended that hoodoo after a

That result, coupled with the , means the Midlanders cannot now finish outside the top two.

Leicestershire ended up bottom of Division Two eight times between 2009 and 2022 and in four of those seasons they failed to win a match, registering back-to-back winless campaigns in 2013 and 2014 and then going blank again in 2017 and 2022.

However, the 1975, 1996 and 1998 County Championship winners have won six matches so far in 2025, a tally they will look to increase across their final two matches, at home to Kent from Monday and then at Northamptonshire from September 24.

Rehan Ahmed - who did not play against Gloucestershire this week because of England commitments - Peter Handscomb, Sol Budinger and Lewis Hill have all scored over 600 runs for the Foxes, with Ahmed hitting five centuries batting in the top three.

Leg-spinning all-rounder Ahmed has also contributed 23 wickets, including 13 in one game against Derbyshire, while Logan van Beek, Ian Holland and Ben Green have all taken in excess of 30 wickets - the latter during a spell on loan from Somerset ahead of a permanent switch from 2026 onwards.

Against Gloucestershire, Leicestershire were 93-1 from 30.3 overs in a chase of 316 before the afternoon's third rain interruption forced umpires to abandon play on the final day shortly after 4pm.

Tags:

cricket news id:13428724

Share this article

Related Posts

PSL: Fakhar Zaman denies ball-tampering after Lahore Qalandars penalised in defeat to Karachi Kings

PSL: Fakhar Zaman denies ball-tampering after Lahore Qalandars penalised in defeat to Karachi Kings

Fakhar Zaman has denied a charge of ball-tampering after his Pakistan Super League side Lahore Qalandars were handed a five-run penalty during a defea...

England men cricket fixtures and results 2026: T20 World Cup, plus games vs India, Pakistan, New Zealand and more

England men cricket fixtures and results 2026: T20 World Cup, plus games vs India, Pakistan, New Zealand and more

Full fixtures for England's men's side in 2026, including the T20 World Cup, home white-ball series against India and away Test tour of South Africa....

Ben Stokes: England captain to miss first month of county season as he continues to recover from gruesome cheek injury

Ben Stokes: England captain to miss first month of county season as he continues to recover from gruesome cheek injury

England Test captain Ben Stokes is poised to miss the first month of the County Championship season with Durham as he continues to recover from facial...

England vow to re-engage with county cricket as new season offers hope to Haseeb Hameed, Sam Cook and more

England vow to re-engage with county cricket as new season offers hope to Haseeb Hameed, Sam Cook and more

"I think the gap is as wide as it has ever been."Sussex head coach and former England assistant Paul Farbrace could have been talking about where is...

England to tour Australia for three one-day internationals and five T20 internationals in November and December 2026

England to tour Australia for three one-day internationals and five T20 internationals in November and December 2026

England will tour Australia for three one-day internationals and five T20 internationals across November and December.The eight-match trip begins with...

England say no 'big bust-up' between Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes as coach keeps job after Ashes drubbing

England say no 'big bust-up' between Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes as coach keeps job after Ashes drubbing

England MD Rob Key said there has been no "big bust-up" between coach Brendon McCullum and Test captain Ben Stokes after the Ashes drubbing as he and...