Batsmen go well at Glamorgan
Mon 18 Apr 2016
Glamorgan versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 2:
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE
INTERVIEW | An interview with Niall O'Brien with BBC Radio Leicester’s Richard Rae is available HERE
HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the second day’s play are available HERE
LIVE | Ball-by-ball commentary available through the BBC HERE and a live stream for day three comes courtesy of Glamorgan’s website HERE
REPORT | Niall O’Brien maintained his excellent record against Glamorgan as Leicestershire posted 297-6 in reply to the home side’s 348 on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship game at the SSE SWALEC.
The Ireland international has scored four of his 14 first-class centuries against the Welsh County, including a career best 182 on this ground in 2012, and today's fine knock of 93 took his Championship career average to just under 60 when facing Glamorgan.
O'Brien totally committed to drives during important partnerships with Mark Pettini (27), Wayne White (42 not out) and fellow half-centurion Paul Horton (67), who had previously shared an opening stand of 89 with Angus Robson.
"In the context of the game we're in a good position but there's a lot of work to do in the morning. It's pretty even steven and we're in a good place," said O'Brien.
"It's a good pitch to bat on, there should still be more runs for our lower order to get and it turns into a one innings game, so we should be in the box seats come tomorrow afternoon. Any lead is very important and the bounce is a little more indifferent now, so runs may not be quite as easy second time around."
A much colder, greyer morning greeted Horton and Robson as they resumed Leicestershire’s first innings at 15-0 and they were given a stiff examination on the first morning of the second day in the Welsh capital.
There was more movement both through the air and off the pitch in the overcast conditions and the duo came through a testing period from Michael Hogan, Craig Meschede and Timm van der Gugten to record a gritty 50 partnership in the 14th over.
The home attack created some opportunities off the outside edge but the ball generally found its way through the slip cordon. When it did go to hand, Will Bragg gave Horton a reprieve by putting down a low chance at first slip off the lively Meschede.
Leicestershire’s batsmen deserved their fortune given they battled hard and tried to play late with soft hands. Horton was also quick to latch onto anything that strayed in line or length, producing a number of handsome off-side drives as his innings progressed.
Both openers went on to guide Graham Wagg down to the vacant third man boundary before Robson played a beautiful stroke off the left armer that raced for four through mid-wicket. Unfortunately Robson (25) perished in the next over at the start of a period where Leicestershire lost three wickets for the addition of ten runs before the interval.
Jacques Rudolph took a terrific one-handed catch at second slip off Hogan to dismiss Robson before David Lloyd struck twice in the lunch over, enticing Dexter (4) to edge to a diving Aneurin Donald at backward point before Mark Cosgrove (0) feathered to Mark Wallace to leave the score at 99-3.
Pettini was unable to take his place at number five due to injury so O’Brien made his way to the crease immediately after lunch. Horton continued on his merry way by hitting a trio of fours in the second over of the session from Lloyd, the first of those boundaries recording a well-constructed 108-ball fifty (7x4).
A well-timed stroke through mid-on from Horton took his boundary tally into double figures in Lloyd’s next offering while O’Brien also quickly got into his stride, thrice finding the boundary through full-blooded strokes.
The duo added 43 in just 7.2 overs but Leicestershire lost a fourth wicket as Horton fell lbw to Meschede in the 40th over. Pettini was now able to come to the wicket, and he and O’Brien formed a nice combination through sensible strokeplay.
Two landmarks were recorded in the same delivery as a ninth boundary for O’Brien registered his half-century (57 balls) and the 50 partnership. A first batting point duly followed and O’Brien continued to strike the ball well on both sides of the wicket.
Glamorgan were not afraid to mix things up in a bid to make inroads, including giving Wagg additional duties as a left arm spinner before tea. The breakthrough came in the 64th over of the innings when Pettini (27) was trapped lbw by van der Gugten. It was the Dutchman’s maiden first-class wicket for Glamorgan and ended the 82-run alliance with Leicestershire now at 224-5.
White played positively from the outset and formed another valuable half-century partnership with O’Brien either side of the interval. The pair added another batting point in putting on 57 before O’Brien fell seven short of a deserved hundred, nicking to Wallace off Wagg, who had taken his more familiar role of claiming the new ball.
White and Ben Raine (8 not out) then took Leicestershire to the verge of a third batting point before play was abandoned following a couple of stoppages for bad light. The team will resume in the morning 51 in arrears with four first innings wickets remaining.
