Alfonso Thomas says points penalty spurred Leicestershire to victory

Alfonso Thomas said the 27-point deduction that placed Leicestershire at the bottom of the County Championship table spurred his players to beat Hampshire by five wickets. The Foxes head coach revealed he informed the team of the impending punishment at lunch on the second day of the match at Grace Road.

The points were docked after the close of play that evening, leaving Leicestershire needing a win against their relegation rivals to stay in Division One. The victory takes their survival battle to the final round of matches, though they remain 19 points from safety and must beat Warwickshire while relying on other results.

Thomas said the emotions from the victory and the strength of feeling after the points deduction will play a part in Sunday's One-Day Cup final against Middlesex at Trent Bridge. He noted the team now carries momentum into the weekend fixture.