´óÏó´«Ã½

Head coach Alfonso Thomas says he only accepted the permanent Leicestershire job on the condition that ex-England batter James Taylor was his assistant.

The duo worked as join interim head coaches last season after Paul Nixon's departure in June.

Together they guided Leicestershire to One-Day Cup glory - the first title the club has won in a decade.

"I always said I could only do it if I could have Tich [Taylor] working with me," Thomas told ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Leicester.

"The two of us balance each other out really well.

"Tich is more the one that comes from the empathy angle. But don't get me wrong, he is no pushover.

"And I'm more the hardcore one that will want to just go at the lads at times. And that was something that I had to be aware of as a coach.

"The two of us complement each other well, but also the communication between the two of us, and with Hilly [Lewis Hill] the captain, worked really well."

Former South Africa seamer Thomas, 46, said the success of his partnership with Taylor was a major factor is convincing him to put himself forward for the permanent role, having previously said he was not interested in making it a full-time move.

"There were a couple of factors," he said.

"We obviously went on a fantastic journey. What changed it for me was the to see how the boys developed through the 50-over competition.

"Even after the final I was still not sure that I wanted to do it, and then there was a moment in Durham in the last [County Championship] game where myself and Tich were sitting in a restaurant and all our lads walked in. That wasn't a planned team meal, it was just everyone coming together.

"Tich and I sort of looked at each other and smirked as if to say 'we are on a good thing here'.

"The guys were together, enjoying each other's company and that was sort of the moment where I thought, well, we are doing something right."