Leicestershire are set for a pre-season trip to Barbados in March.

The Foxes are one of half-a-dozen counties who are to visit the island for an 11-day stay just a couple of weeks ahead of the new first-class season.

The schedule will cover all formats of the game and County head coach Phil Whitticase said: "It will be a good combination of a two-day game and Pro40 and T20 games, so it is covering all fronts.

"The key thing is outdoor practice, what we need with the season starting in early April."

County are also limited in what they can do in the build-up to the new campaign – should the English weather be amenable – after the reseeding of the outfield at Grace Road, which is already looking a significant improvement on the surface Leicestershire played on last year.

The Leicestershire players are now back in full training at the club, with an increasing emphasis on their playing skills having spent a good deal of time before Christmas on strength and conditioning work.

That fits in with the arrival of Ben Smith as the club's new batting coach this week.

"We are still doing strength and conditioning work but we have upped the number of cricket sessions now," said Whitticase, who added that he was happy with the general fitness of the players after Christmas and New Year.

Matthew Hoggard (shoulder) and Josh Cobb (knee) are the only injury concerns in the squad, although both are making progress towards full fitness.

"Josh is moving forward really quickly," said the County coach.

"Matthew's rehab is going okay under the guidance of the physio and he is working hard on his conditioning.

"He hasn't been able to bowl so far but he has been able to work on his batting. That's important.

"It was clear last year that we needed more runs from lower down the order."

Meanwhile, Leicestershire are yet to finalise a deal with an overseas player for Championship games in 2012.

Club officials are in negotiations with former Pakistan Test player Mohammad Yousuf about the possibility of him taking on that role.

County see the 37-year-old as being the perfect player to bolster their middle order in four-day cricket – he would not figure in one-day matches – but agreement has yet to be reached.

"Mohammad has raised a couple of points and we need to discuss them with him," said Whitticase.