Andrew Hignell reports on day 3 of the Specsavers County Championship clash at Grace Road.
DAY THREE
Evening Report
Leicestershire were 74/1 at tea but after a single in the first over from Michael Hogan, Neil Dexter was run out by Aneurin Donald as he attempted a single to mid-wicket in Andrew Salter’s first over of the session. Paul Horton responded by cover-driving the spinner before Ned Eckersley square-cut Salter.
The pair then accumulated mainly in singles as Marchant de Lange bowled in tandem with Salter, and with the total on 109 the fast bowler struck as Horton was l.b.w. to a full length delivery. Eckersley greeted the return of Michael Hogan by on-driving him for four before Pettini square-cut the bowler for four. Eckersley also pulled Lukas Carey for four before Pettini on-drove Hogan.
Eckersley also flayed Carey square of the wicket for another fierce boundary before cover-driving the teenager. On 47 he miscued a pull against Carey but David Lloyd running back at mid-wicket could not quite hold onto the ball. The acting captain duly pulled his next delivery to mid-wicket to complete a 73-ball fifty.
Glamorgan switched to all-spin in the last half hour with Eckersley cover driving both Salter and Ingram.
Afternoon update
Clint McKay had dismissed Colin Ingram four balls before lunch and after the interval the Australian struck again with the total on 391 as Kiran Carlson edged to second slip. A cover drive for four by Andrew Salter against Raine, followed by an on-drive by Marchant de Lange against McKay brought up the 400 and another batting point.
The South African celebrated by lofting McKay over long-on for six but next ball he edged to second slip with Glamorgan on 409/8. Seven runs later, Lukas Carey miscued a pull against Raine and was caught at third slip. Michael Hogan took Glamorgan into the lead with a booming straight drive for four against Raine followed by a rasping blow to long on. But he drilled the next ball to cover as Glamorgan ended on 426 with their last five wickets having fallen for 42 runs in 9.3 overs.
Paul Horton and Harry Dearden began with a brace of singles before the latter drove Carey through point for four. But in the eighth over he edged Hogan into the slips where Nick Selman held a good low catch. Neil Dexter opened his account by driving to third man and backward point before pulling David Lloyd’s first ball for four. Horton also cover drove Lloyd on two occasions before Andrew Salter had a short spell before tea at the Pavilion End.
The session ended with Dexter also pulling Lloyd for four.
Lunchtime Report
Last night a lavish St.George’s Day Dinner took place in the Players Dining Room here at Grace Road, attended by the Mayor of Leicester and the county’s Lord Lieutenant, plus other guests all celebrating the feats of the eleventh century crusader in slaying a dragon. A few hours earlier, as they tucked into their lamb shanks at lunchtime, the Leicestershire players were contemplating also coming out on top of their own battle against Glamorgan having made 420 against the Welsh county.
But Nick Selman, Jacques Rudolph and Colin Ingram had other ideas as, with a wide array of forcing strokes on this true surface, they put Glamorgan to within 139 runs of the home side by the close of play. Rudolph set the tone in assertive manner with some booming drives before Selman went on to register his first century on English soil. Ingram was also sixteen runs away from his first hundred in Championship cricket since September 2015 when play ended with Glamorgan on 281/4.
Under clear blue skies once again, Leicestershire were hoping that the new ball, due after nine overs this morning would help them regain the upper hand. Ben Raine and Charlie Shreck resumed the bowling duties with Chris Cooke drilling the latter through backward point for a rasping four, before Ingram steered the tall bowler to the vacant boundary at third man.
Neil Dexter had a short spell before the new ball and was twice punched through the covers for four by Cooke as the 300 came up. Ingram then drilled Dexter to long-off before pulling the next to the ropes at mid-wicket as he completed his hundred from 178 balls. Shortly afterwards the new ball was taken with Cooke cover-driving Raine, but with the total on 321, the umpire upheld an l.b.w. appeal against Cooke.
With Kiran Carlson as his new partner, Ingram spliced Raine over the slip cordon for four before driving him through cover point. He then on-drove a full length delivery from McKay before Carlson began with a pair of flowing cover drives as Glamorgan reached the 350-mark in the 88th over. Ingram found the ropes again as he cut McKay for four before Carlson played the same stroke against Raine when he switched to the Bennett End.
But in the final over of the session McKay bowled Ingram for 137.