Leicestershire left shocked as Whitaker quits
Surrey 540 and 42-3 Leicestershire 290 and 289 Surrey won by 7 wickets
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Your support makes all the difference.As Surrey clinched their seventh win of the Championship season, Leicestershire were coming to terms with the shock resignation of their secretary-manager James Whitaker.
Whitaker, who captained Leicestershire to two titles in the late 1990s, was appointed their chief executive officer three years ago. He enjoyed some success, despite having to learn the job as he went along. Leicestershire sustained losses of £150,000 in 2000 but returned a profit of £25,000 last season.
The 40-year-old former England batsman said. "I'm leaving on good terms but I feel that after three years in the job it is the right time to move on.
"I have not made up my mind about my future but there are a couple of possibilities I am looking at, one of which could keep me closer to the playing side, the other something I would prefer to keep close to my chest.
"The last three years have been an enjoyable experience and a real learning curve but if I'm honest I miss the direct involvement with players. Signing someone is one thing, helping him to improve and realise his potential is another and that I have enjoyed in particular. I've had some great times at the club, where I have been for 21 years since I started playing. Probably the happiest was when I was captain when we won the title in 1996 and 1998."
In the past, Skipton-born Whitaker has been seen as a candidate for a coaching position at Yorkshire, but there is no current vacancy, with the Australian coach Wayne Clark under contract for another season. Another possibility is that he will be offered a greater England role after managing Under-19 and A tours.
Meanwhile, Leicestershire acquired a distinguished new member yesterday when the former prime minister John Major, watching as a Surrey committee man, handed over a £50 cheque to enable him to add Grace Road to his annual cricket itinerary. His son and daughter-in-law live in the county.
On the field, Surrey secured victory inside three days, despite the efforts of Iain Sutcliffe and Darren Maddy. Those two apart, Leicestershire batted dismally in essentially excellent conditions. After a second-wicket stand of 102 in the first innings, they put on 156 as their side followed on yesterday but, having set off with a deficit of 250, it still did not seriously threaten Surrey's prospects.
Maddy could count himself unlucky to be denied six short of a century before Alex Tudor tore through the lower order with four wickets in 14 balls.
Mushtaq Ahmed could not match his first-innings brilliance of 5 for 71, but still accounted for Darren Stevens, Neil Burns and Matt Whiley.
Chasing 40 to win, Surrey lost three wickets for 21 as Whiley and Devon Malcolm found some swing, but needed only seven balls to complete a seven-wicket win after claiming the extra half-hour.
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