Leicestershire have moved early in the transfer market, confirming Josh Davey and Jonny Tattersall will join the club on three-year contracts from 1 November, once their existing deals with Somerset and Yorkshire run down. Both players turned down extensions to stay put, and Ben Green is also expected to follow team-mate Davey from Taunton after two productive loan spells.
Davey, 35, strengthens a seam attack that has underpinned Leicestershire’s push towards Division One promotion, while Tattersall, 30, fills the wicketkeeping vacancy created by Harry Swindells’ injury-enforced retirement last month.
A Scotland international with 62 caps and two T20 World Cups behind him, Davey brings a weighty record: 214 first-class wickets at 24.25, 128 List-A strikes at 25.90 and 116 at 21.77 in T20 cricket. He even opened the batting for Somerset this summer, demonstrating the adaptability Leicestershire’s coaching staff value.
“I spoke to Fons [Alfonso Thomas] and Claude [Henderson], and it was clear they’ve got a collective vision for elevating the club to the next level,” Davey said. “It’s going to be a very exciting place to be over the next three years.
“I think it’s starting to shape into a competitive team. There’s a lot of talent in the squad and I hope to supplement that with the experience I’ve gained across all three formats over the last 15 years.
“I met a lot of the guys during my loan here in 2023, and I loved the environment. Since then, the likes of Ben Green, Lewis Goldsworthy and Josh Thomas have all been and they have only come back saying positive things, which obviously helped steer my decision. Hopefully I can help to establish Leicestershire in the first division and look to push for some silverware. I believe we can become a real force in all three competitions over the next few years.”
Tattersall arrives with 155 Yorkshire appearances and the distinction of leading the White Rose back into Division One last season, when he averaged 40.18 and completed 29 dismissals. One of his two 2024 centuries came at Grace Road, an innings that effectively propelled Yorkshire into the promotion places.
“Leicestershire is a club that has some great history behind it and has built a team that seems to be going places,” Tattersall said. “I can see a real purpose and a focus within the group with what they’re looking to achieve over the next few years, so it’s incredibly exciting to be asked to play a part in that journey.
“Hopefully, I can bring experience of first division cricket and help guide a few young”
The final sentence of Tattersall’s comment hints at mentoring younger team-mates, something the coaching group hope will accelerate the development of a squad featuring talent such as Rishi Patel, Louis Kimber and Rehan Ahmed.
Director of Cricket Claude Henderson has prioritised experienced recruits since Leicestershire’s overhaul began in 2023. Davey’s control with the new ball and Tattersall’s stability behind the stumps tick key boxes. Green, if his move is finalised, would add a seam-bowling all-rounder comfortable in all formats.
Promotion is by no means guaranteed, but Leicestershire’s intent is clear: blend proven county performers with emerging prospects and stay competitive across the Championship, One-Day Cup and T20 Blast. Whether that plan translates into silverware will become apparent over the next three summers; for now, the squad looks deeper and more balanced than at any point since the club last occupied Division One in 2003.
