Leicestershire snap up Baker

Leicestershire have signed West Indian fast bowler Lionel Baker on a two-year deal.

Baker, 24, from Montserrat, has a British passport, and appeared this summer for Walmsley in the Birmingham Leagues.

He has played first-class cricket for the Leeward Islands, represented West Indies in the Under-19 World Cup in 2003/04 and also appeared for Montserrat in the last two in Stanford 20/20 tournaments.

Baker, who was known to have interested Warwickshire, goes some way to filling the void left by South African seamer Garnett Kruger, who announced this week that he would not appear for Leicestershire next season because of fears over his workload.

Leicestershire senior coach Tim Boon was impressed by Lionel Baker during a trial

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Leicestershire senior coach Tim Boon confirmed that the search to supplement the attack was not yet complete.

Boon told ecb.co.uk: “Lionel spent a few years living and going to school in London, where some of his family lives.

“He came over and netted with us in the summer, and impressed us. He’s very keen to play for Leicestershire.

“We’re still talking with another fast bowler, and we hope to tie that deal up.”

Meanwhile, Matthew Boyce, Josh Cobb, James Taylor, Greg Smith, Joel Pope, Sam Cliff, Nathan Buck and Alex Wyatt have agreed new deals to stay at the county.

Cobb, who became Leicestershire’s youngest centurion when he hit a magnificent unbeaten 148 at Lord’s this year, has signed a three-year deal alongside Boyce and Taylor.

Seamer Cliff and wicketkeeper Pope, meanwhile, have agreed two-year contracts.

England Under-19 batsman Smith, who begins studying at Durham University this month, has signed a three-year summer contract.

England Under-17 fast bowler Buck has agreed a summer contract for 2009 and a two-year full-time deal to follow.

Wyatt has also put pen to peper on a summer contract for next season - his gap year before going to university.