LEICESTERSHIRE v GLAMORGAN

Evening Report

Play resumed at 5.35pm with 20 overs being lost and Timm van der Gugten and Michael Neser returning to bowl. Peter Handscombe square-drove the Dutchman before Rehan Ahmed did the same in his next over as well as guiding Neser through backward point. But after 5.3 overs the rains returned and ended the day’s play.

Afternoon Update

Leicestershire had reached 123-2 at lunch, with the floodlights also having been switched on during the interval at the overcast and gloomy Grace Road. Neser and van der Gugten resumed the bowling duties with Lewis Hill on-driving and flicking to square-leg successive deliveries from Neser before on-driving David Lloyd prior to completing an 82-ball fifty. The century stand with Colin Ackermann also came up later in the over, but Timm van der Gugten then switched to the Bennett End and had an appeal for l.b.w. upheld against Ackermann.

152-3 then became 153-4 as van der Gugten struck again as he found the edge of Hill’s bat with Cooke completing a good catch diving low to his right. Wiaan Mulder announced his arrival by cover-driving van der Gugten but next over he shouldered arms to Neser and was bowled. 168-5 saw the arrival of Rehan Ahmed with the teenager punching David Lloyd off the back foot through extra-cover.

But at 15.30pm rain started to fall over Grace Road and the players left the ground for an early tea. The precipitation eased an hour later, and following a series of inspections, the umpires decided to re-start at 5.35pm with 20 overs being lost.

Morning Update

Glamorgan have returned to the scene of one of their finest Championship victories of modern times and a ground last year where they recorded a stunning innings victory after batting for 160 overs and then dismissing Leicestershire in 58.4 overs. The visitors made two changes from the side which drew with Durham last weekend at Sophia Gardens, with Andrew Salter and Jamie McIlroy replacing Dan Douthwaite and Harry Podmore.

Having opted to bowl first on the green-tinged surface, McIlroy was soon in the action as he shared the new ball with Michael Neser who was driven through mid-wicket by Sol Budinger who then biffed the left-armer in the same direction. Budinger found the ropes again as he off-drove Neser before Patel clipped the Australian to square-leg. Timm van der Gugten then entered the attack and with his third delivery he bowled Budinger as Lewis Hill made his way to the middle with the total on 43.

Nine runs later, the Dutchman struck again as Patel feathered a ball into Cooke’s gloves before Colin Ackermann announced his arrival by flicking David Lloyd to square-leg for four. Hill then cover drove Lloyd for a pair of fours before Ackermann off-drove van der Gugten. Hill then cover-drove Lloyd for a third time before Ackermann repeated the stroke. Hill then brought up the hundred by sweeping Salter when the off-spinner entered the attack at the Pavilion End.

Neser returned for a second salvo shortly before lunch with Ackermann square-driving him for four

Evening Report

Glamorgan resumed on 64-1 after tea with Chris Wright and Wiaan Mulder bowling to Eddie Byrom and Marnus Labuschagne. Byrom cover-drove Wright for four before Labuschagne twice pulled Mulder for three, as well as surviving a loud appeal for l.b.w. against Mulder. He then added another three against Mulder before cover-driving him for four to complete an 88-ball fifty before top-edging a pull against Barnes for six.

Byrom also square-cut Ed Barnes for four en route to his half-century from 105 deliveries reached with a cover-drive for four against Tom Scriven, but later in the over, the umpire upheld an l.b.w. appeal against the opener as Sam Northeast made his way out to the middle. 123-2 then became 125-3 as Labuschagne edged Barnes to first slip where Mulder, at the second attempt, completed the catch.

Northeast and Kiran Carlson steadied the ship with both batters adopting a watchful approach as Lewis Hill rotated his seamers before introducing the wrist spin of Rehan Ahmed who should have removed Northeast on 9 but Sol Budinger at short mid-wicket spilled the chance as the batter pulled a full toss in his direction. But next over Carlson was not fortunate as he edged Scriven into Handscombe’s gloves. 155-4 immediately became 155-5 as Billy Root was yorked by the young bowler as van der Gugten came in as night-watchman.

Afternoon Update

David Lloyd had removed Tom Scriven in the penultimate over before the interval, thanks to a good diving catch by Chris Cooke, with Chris Wright joining Peter Handscombe when play resumed with Marnus Labuschagne joining the attack and bowling seam up rather than spin in tandem with David Lloyd. The latter claimed the eighth wicket with the total on 388 as Wright lofted the visiting captain to deep square-leg where Andrew Salter completed a good tumbling catch.

Having been joined by Ed Barnes, Handscombe drove Lloyd to long-on but van der Gugten returned and had Barnes caught behind by Chris Cooke, before the wicket-keeper claimed another victim as Handscombe edged Neser five runs short of a century. Lloyd then departed to the second ball of the innings as he edged Chris Wright to second slip, with Labuschagne getting off the mark with a flick to fine-leg followed by an on-driven four against Wright.

Labuschagne then greeted the introduction of Wiaan Mulder into the attack by drilling him through extra-cover before doing the same to Wright. Byrom then regally drove Michael Finan through the covers for four before clipping him to mid-wicket for another boundary.

Morning Update

Only 66.4 overs were possible yesterday with Leicestershire making 241-5 after David Lloyd, for the third time in succession, had opted to bowl first after winning the toss at an overcast and dank Grace Road. The overhead conditions were the same this morning after overnight rain with the floodlights switched on again as Rehan Ahmed cover-drove the day’s opening delivery from Timm van der Gugten before outside edging the Dutchman to the vacant ropes at third man. Ahmed then completed his fifty from 70 balls with a firm straight drive against Neser.

Ahmed found the ropes again as he lofted Andrew Salter to the boards at long-off before Peter Handscombe drilled the spinner to the boards at mid-wicket. Ahmed also thick-edged McIlroy before his partner did the same later in the over, much to the chagrin of the left-armer. Handscombe then square-cut Salter for four before Ahmed danced down the wicket to McIlroy and lofted him to long-on. Glamorgan took the new ball with the home side on 313-5 with Handscombe straight driving both Neser and van der Gugten.

Ahmed continued to accumulate but on 90 he was rapped on the pads by van der Gugten and departed l.b.w. Tom Scriven brought up the 350 and another batting point by flicking van der Gugten to square-leg.

Evening Update

Glamorgan had gone to tea on 376-7 trailing by just 31 runs with the doughty eighth wicket pair having potentially changed the complexion of the game and eager to continue their good work as Michael Finan and Tom Scriven resumed the bowling. Initially, Cooke and Neser worked the ball around for singles and when the total reached 392 the partnership became Glamorgan’s best for the eighth wicket against Leicestershire beating the 166 added by Gwyn Richards and Malcolm Nash at Swansea in 1978.

The 400 came up courtesy of four byes as Scriven sent a ball down the legside and out of the reach of Peter Handscombe. Neser celebrated by off-driving the swing bowler later in the over before he wiped off the arrears by late cutting Rehan Ahmed for another boundary as the floodlights came on. Cooke then completed his century from 220 balls with a single to mid-on before bringing up the double-century stand with a rasping square-cut for four against Mulder.

Later in the over, Cooke glided the South African to third man for four as their stand became Glamorgan’s all-time best for the eighth wicket against any county, surpassing the 202 added by Dai Davies and Joe Hills against Sussex at Eastbourne, 1928. Their stand though ended next over as Wright returned and bowled Neser for 90 with a delivery which scuttled through and struck the base of the stumps.

Andrew Salter joined Cooke but soon afterwards the light deteriorated and the players left the field.

Afternoon Update

Glamorgan had taken lunch just a run away from avoiding the follow-on with Chris Cooke and Michael Neser looking to whittle away further at the deficit during the afternoon session. Wiaan Mulder and Tom Scriven resumed the bowling duties with the latter being drilled through extra cover by Cooke, who then flicked Mulder to fine-leg and on-drove Rehan Ahmed when the wrist spinner returned to the fray at the Pavilion End.

Neser also straight-drove Ahmed to bring up the 300 and another batting point before Cooke completed his patient fifty from 119 balls. Neser on-drove Ahmed again for four before slashing Michael Finan through point for another boundary as the eighth wicket stand reached three figures. Neser then completed his fifty - his second in the competition - from 94 deliveries by flicking Chris Wright to the ropes at fine-leg.

Cooke also late-cut Colin Ackermann for three before Neser biffed him through the covers for four as the pair expanded their range of strokes as Glamorgan moved closer and closer to parity. Shortly before tea, Neser reached his Championship best score by flicking Ackermann to mid-wicket before bringing up the 150-stand by biffing Ackermann through extra-cover for four.

Morning Update

They say lightning never strikes twice but Billy Root might disagree after the left-hander, who was dismissed for a first-ball duck last year in the run-fest at Leicester, departed in identical fashion yesterday afternoon as he was yorked by a superb delivery from rookie seam bowler Tom Scriven. Before yesterday, the former England Under-19 international had just seven first-class wickets to his name but, during two waspish spells, yesterday he completed career-best figures of 10-2-15-3 as Glamorgan began the third day of this intriguing contest 243 runs in his arrears with five wickets in hand.

Sam Northeast and night-watchman Timm van der Gugten resumed their innings this morning knowing that there was plenty of batting still to be done for Glamorgan to avoid being asked to follow-on for the first time at Grace Road since 2008. Michael Finan and Chris Wright continued the bowling with the later being cover-driven for four by Northeast who also clipped the former to long-leg. But with the total on 186, van der Gugten miscued a pull against Wright with Rishi Patel completing a diving catch at mid-wicket.

Chris Cooke joined Northeast and began with a sumptuous cover-drive against Wright before dispatching Wiaan Mulder through point for four. Both played watchfully as they chiselled away at the deficit. With the total on 218-6. Leicestershire took the new ball as Northeast cut Wright through point for four. But Finan returned at the Pavilion End and removed Northeast who edged an attempted cut into Handscombe’s gloves and departed for 40.

225-7 saw the arrival of Michael Neser who punched Finan off the back foot through extra-cover before Cooke edged the left-armer just short of first slip as the home bowlers strove for further success. Neser then drilled Finan through the covers for four before square-driving Wright for four as the follow-on was almost avoided.

Close of Play Report

Leicestershire had reached 211-2 at tea with around an hour’s play remaining when the players returned to the field after the interval. David Lloyd and Andrew Salter continued the bowling duties as Patel off-drove the visiting captain. But with the total on 227, Ackermann lofted Lloyd into the hands of Neser at deep square-leg. Peter Handscombe replaced him and saw Patel reach his Championship-best score as he pulled a long-hop from Eddie Byrom over deep mid-wicket for six

Afternoon Report

There were 68 overs remaining in the game when play began after lunch with Leicestershire on 65-1 and leading by 7 runs. Timm van der Gugten and Andrew Salter resumed the bowling duties with the latter being swept for four in successive deliveries by Rishi Patel who completed a 74-ball fifty. He celebrated by lofting the off-spinner for a straight six followed by an off-driven four against the Dutchman.

Patel also square-drove van der Gugten for four before again sweeping Salter for four as Labuschagne’s spin was also employed. Hill then on-drove Neser for four before Patel slashed Labuschagne to third man for four. He also lofted the spinner for a straight four prior to Hill clipping McIlroy to fine-leg for four. Patel then completed his hundred by pulling Labuschagne to square-leg and off-driving McIlroy - his 137th delivery and 17th four.

Hill ran Labuschagne down to third man to complete his half-century from 91 balls before drilling the Australian through the covers. He also top-edged a pull against McIlroy for six before David Lloyd bowled in tandem with Salter as the game headed towards tea and a tame draw. Nevertheless, in the penultimate over before tea, Hill inside-edged a drive onto his stumps against Lloyd and departed for 82.

Morning Update

The oldest partnership record in Glamorgan’s first-class history disappeared from the annals yesterday afternoon at Leicester as Chris Cooke and Michael Neser added 211 in 65.1 overs for the eighth wicket, erasing the names of Dai Davies and Joe Hills who had added 202 against Sussex at Eastbourne in 1928. Their efforts 95 years ago at The Saffrons had also come in the Welsh county’s first innings as the visitors mounted a fightback with their stand being completed on the final morning of the three-day game and before Sussex batted out the rest of the day to draw the game.
Many wondered whether a similar scenario would be the outcome today at Grace Road as Glamorgan began the final day of a game in which so far around three hours play has been lost to rain and bad light, with a slender lead of 39 runs.

Chris Cooke and Andrew Salter resumed the batting duties as Chris Wright and Tom Scriven continued bowling. Salter edged Scriven through the slips for four before running a series of one’s and two’s with Cooke, but with the total on 460, he was bowled by Wright as a ball cannoned off his torso and onto the stumps. Having been joined by Jamie McIlroy, Cooke then opened his shoulders and flayed a few balls around the deep set field before being bowled by Wright for 132.

Glamorgan had a lead of 58 runs with a minimum of 87 runs remaining in the contest as Michael Neser and Timm van der Gugten shared the new ball. Neser struck with his seventh delivery as Sol Budinger edged to first slip. Lewis Hill then struck the Australian to fine-leg and square-leg for a pair before Rishi Patel pulled the Dutchman for a massive six followed by a coruscating cover drive for four.

After surviving a loud appeal for a catch behind, Hill on-drove van der Gugten for four with Patel unleashing another savage pull for four before being struck on the helmet by a rising delivery from Neser, who had switched to the Bennett End. Patel then punched McIlroy off the back foot through the covers before steering Neser to the vacant third man prior to Andrew Salter entering the attack shortly before lunch.