Leicestershire 'investigating allegations' amid Nixon's sudden departure

Leicestershire's chief executive Sean Jarvis has said that he will be "investigating comments and allegations", but denied that the club is in crisis after coach Paul Nixon was placed on gardening leave and three senior players announced their departures at the end of the season.

John Thorpe, Leicestershire's chairman, confirmed that Nixon is "on leave" in a statement on Friday evening, a day after his departure was first reported. In an interview before their Blast fixture against Northamptonshire, Jarvis was pushed on the circumstances behind it.

"What I can do is reiterate that Paul Nixon is on leave at this moment in time," Jarvis told BBC Radio Leicester. "I am legally bound and I can't say any more than that at this stage. He's on leave and that's what we are doing: we are respecting wishes of lawyers in terms of staying legally bound.

"A lot of information has come to my attention over the past two months and as chief executive of this club, I'll be investigating comments, allegations, all those sorts of things that have gone on.

"That's what I'm here to do and I've always said that, as chief exec, I will protect and develop Leicestershire County Cricket Club. That is my number one role and that's what I'll continue to do and I've done since day one."

News of Nixon's departure broke shortly after the club confirmed ESPNcricinfo's story that Colin Ackermann and Callum Parkinson are leaving for Durham at the end of the season, while veteran seamer Chris Wright has also signed for Sussex. But Jarvis insisted: "The club is not in crisis."

Leicestershire are third in Division Two of the County Championship but have struggled badly in the Blast this year, losing ten of their 12 fixtures including Friday night's 92-run loss against Northants.

Jarvis said: "The optics don't look good but let me tell you, there is an awful lot that's happening at this club that we are extremely proud of and this club is, without question, moving forward. There is a tremendous nucleus of talent that we have here at Leicestershire and I'm really excited by what the future holds."

But he conceded that there had been "a mess behind… every door I open" since he joined Leicestershire in 2020. "Let's look at Leicestershire, the past decade, and it's been poor," Jarvis said. "Prior to Covid, it's been poor… every door I open at Leicestershire, whether it's on the field or off it, there seems to be a mess behind it.

"That's what we're trying to sort out. All these different fires that seem to be burning, we're now starting to eradicate and we're starting to put the proper infrastructure in place within this club. I know members were very upset and very unhappy with what's gone on. I get that that is sport, but we are striving to develop this club."

Nixon told ESPNcricinfo that he had been asked by his legal team not to comment.