Bowlers on top on rain-hit day
Tue 19 May 2015
Only 24.1 overs were possible on day three after more poor weather interrupted the LV=CC game between Leicestershire and Lancashire at Grace Road
Captain Mark Cosgrove top-scored with 79 while Kyle Jarvis ended with 5-69 and Nathan Buck took 3-64 as Leicestershire made 249 in their first innings.
Lancashire claimed a lead of 119 but County hit back by claiming the wickets of both openers and the team almost dismissed Ashwell Prince and Alviro Petersen in the 11 overs that remained.
The experienced duo saw the Red Rose county to stumps on 39-2 so they will start the final day 158 ahead with eight second innings wickets remaining.
Play was delayed until 12.15pm due to an extremely heavy burst of rain that arrived at 10.30am. Tom Wells hit a boundary off Buck as Leicestershire recorded their first batting point but the all-rounder fell lbw to Jarvis in the next over.
Clint McKay played in trademark aggressive fashion and struck three early fours, including consecutive boundaries in the 47th over. Four leg byes in the next over took the extras to 53 – it has been a prolific match for that column given there were 57 sundries in Lancashire’s first innings.
A terrific straight drive from McKay brought him another boundary and the score was 240-7 when the players came off for a slightly early lunch because of another downpour.
There was a swift resumption after lunch, which was taken at that point, and both set batsmen fell in quick succession. Cosgrove was trapped in front by Buck to end the 42-run stand before McKay (26) was caught behind by Alex Davies off Jarvis.
Rob Taylor (2 not out) and Charlie Shreck took the score to 249-9 when another heavy shower arrived and play was not able to start again until 5.45pm. There were meant to be 14 overs left but that was immediately eaten into as The innings was ended with the first ball of the restart. Shreck (2) was lbw to Jarvis, who completed his five-for.
Leicestershire claimed four bonus points in total and there was an early wicket in the Lancashire second innings as Paul Horton (7) called Karl Brown through for a single but the non-striker sent him back. Cosgrove threw the ball to Niall O’Brien, who completed the dismissal.
Brown (8) then nicked Shreck to O’Brien with the score on 22 and Leicestershire went close on two other occasions.
Prince was fortunate to see an edge loop over gully off Shreck while Petersen, who glanced a couple of fours, was fortunate to survive the last ball of the day. He nicked Ben Raine to Wells at third slip but the shoulder-high chance went to ground.
Bowling figures: McKay 4-2-9-0, Shreck 5-1-14-1, Raine 2-0-12-0.
