Tim Boon resigns as Leicestershire coach

Leicestershire have been plunged into a new crisis after it was confirmed that Tim Boon, the head coach, will leave the club at the end of the season

ESPNcricinfo understands that Boon will shortly be appointed as England U19 coach. It will mean that Leicestershire have lost their chief executive (David Smith), their chairman of cricket (Paul Haywood) and now their senior coach within a matter of weeks. All three are known to have expressed grave reservations over the continuing involvement of Neil Davidson as chairman of the club.

His position had seemed untenable for some weeks. He was recently one of the signatories of a letter - purporting to be from the entire playing and coaching staff at Grace Road - asking for Davidson to resign or for him to be removed by the Leicestershire CCC board. Boon's position was subsequently described as "unsustainable" by Davidson.

The news will come as a blow to Leicestershire's coterie of talented young players, however. Boon has an excellent reputation of developing emerging talent and has been credited for his role in the emergence of James Taylor, Nathan Buck and Josh Cobb.

Matthew Hoggard, the Leicestershire captain who was the co-signatory of the letter calling for Davidson's removal, may also feel he has lost a key ally.

Boon's departure will increase the pressure on Davidson, however. A group of disaffected Leicestershire members have already called for a Special General Meeting to discuss the events leading to the departure of Smith as chief executive and to call a vote of no confidence in the board. Their concerns will only have been heightened by news of Boon's departure.

Boon has previously coached England at U17 and U19 level and was the England assistant coach under Duncan Fletcher. He became senior coach at Grace Road at the start of 2006.