Will Davis targets injury-free 2022 after signing new Leicestershire contract

The 25-year-old seamer missed parts of last season but still managed to collect 21 wickets across the formats

Leicestershire have confirmed a new contract for seamer Will Davis ahead of the 2022 season.

Davis joined from Derbyshire in 2018 and has spent three seasons at Grace Road, taking 71 wickets across the formats.

The Running Foxes have not confirmed the length of the new deal, only that it takes the 25-year-old into a fourth season at the club.

It has been a busy summer for Leicestershire, with fresh terms agreed with the likes of Lewis Hill and highly-rated prospects Louis Kimber and Rehan Ahmed.

Naveen-ul-Haq, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Wiaan Mulder have been signed up as overseas players for 2022 also.

The Strafford-born quick Davis has another 12 months to impress at Leicestershire after a 2021 campaign that started with a spell on the treatment table.

^{Davis will be aiming for an improvement in the white-ball formats (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Upon returning his main success came in the County Championship, taking 15 wickets at 27.73.

More than half of those came against Middlesex, against whom he claimed career-best match figures of 8 for 87 at Merchant Taylors' School. That haul included dismissing Sam Robson, the third-highest run-scorer of the season, in both innings.

Leicestershire's focus on the limited-overs formats means Davis' longevity or otherwise is likely to rest on how he performs with the white-ball in hand.

So far, his returns have been modest. He picked up six wickets in four One-Day Cup games last season but only made two T20 Blast outings, failing to take a wicket and went at 11.50-an-over.

That said, in 2020 he claimed seven scalps as Leicestershire reached the Blast quarter-finals only for them to miss out on a place at Finals Day after a cruel tie with eventual champions Notts Outlaws.

^{Escaping another injury-hit season will be among Davis' priorities (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)}

Ultimately, however, the focus will be on ensuring he can get through the campaign unscathed after seeing injury undermine his efforts since moving from Derbyshire.

"I am delighted to extend my contract in Leicestershire," he said.

"Last season was challenging for me after picking up the injury when I did, but I feel I ended the season in a good place and I am excited to push on into 2022.

"The squad we have here at the Uptonsteel County Ground is an unbelievable set of players, and we're all fighting to take the club to the next level."

Head coach Paul Nixon added: "We are delighted Will has committed to the Running Foxes, he has matured as a person and has found consistency in his game in both red and white-ball cricket.

"Will has continued his development throughout winter in a positive manner and it is fantastic that he is continuing his journey with us in Leicestershire."