Shiv Thakor eager to keep hitting milestones for Derbyshire

The 22-year-old Leicester-born all-rounder is riding the wave that has swept through the city since the Foxes delivered one of the greatest sporting achievements of modern times.

Following a disappointing first season with Derbyshire, Thakor has enjoyed an excellent start to the 2016 campaign, marking personal milestones with bat and ball.

After passing 50 only once in the Championship in 2015, he made an unbeaten 83 at Northampton and then 130, his first century for Derbyshire, against Kent at Derby.

He also took a career-best 5 for 63 in that match to become only the 11th Derbyshire player to score a century and take five wickets in an innings of the same game.

“It’s a brilliant time for people from Leicester so touch wood, I hope it’s going to be a good season for me if the trend continues,” he said.

“I’d like to have the best season year I can to help Derbyshire, that’s my sole aim to contribute everything I can to the club and try and help win as many games of cricket as I can.

“It was nice to finally get that hundred . It definitely took too long for my liking but that’s how things happen. I can’t change the past, only focus on what’s to come now.”

Another accomplished batting display against Sussex at Hove highlighted why Thakor was rated one of the best prospects in the country when he made a first-class hundred for Leicestershire on debut and he admits he is now feeling more settled at Derbyshire.

“There is an adjustment period and I went through that last year. I was probably a bit guilty at times of trying a bit too hard which looking back is probably not the worst trait because I wanted to do well.

“I think everyone goes through that no matter how old you are or at what stage of your career you are, it’s a new environment and a new team and you want to make an impression.

“It’s always a tough thing to settle in but I’m living here now, everything’s a lot easier and I’m 100% settled.

“I’m a lot more relaxed and I had a good winter of hard work. I’ve simplified things down to give myself the best possible chance.

“There’s no rocket science behind it, I’ve tweaked a thing or two which is natural because you are always doing that but if anything it’s been about going back to the basics.

“The best players in the world just do the basics better than anyone else so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.”