Budinger Smashes Fifty But Seconds Beaten In Rain-Affected Encounter

Leicestershire’s Second XI lost by 26 runs (DLS Method) in a rain-affected SET20 clash at Uptonsteel County Ground on Tuesday.

Sol Budinger blitzed 52 from just 27 balls, while Alex Green picked up two four 24, but a heavy downpour just 2.4 overs into the Foxes’ chase presented an almost impossible chase of 145 from 11 overs.

Losing the toss and fielding first, it took just eight balls for Leicestershire to strike as Ben Martindale spooned a ball to Budinger on the edge of the ring for seven.

Notts responded aggressively, racing to 77 for one after just 6.4 overs when Green registered his first “ Sam Seecharan (34, 18b) slashing to Sam Wood on the deep point boundary.

Opener Travis Holland continued to accelerate, hitting Tom Scriven for successive sixes before he too fell to Green “ caught by Lewis Hill - for 69 from 34 balls. The Outlaws 125 for three from 11 overs.

Julius Sumerauer then struck in back-to-back overs to chasten the away side’s innings. First, Sam King (13) was caught by Green at short third, before a sharp turn and throw to the non-strikers’ end saw the Jersey bowler run out Joe Pocklington for seven.

Those two strikes failed to deter Dane Schadendorf (47*, 26b) and Rob Lord (35*, 14b), however, as the pair added an unbroken 80 for the sixth wicket to take Notts to 224 for five.

Harry Swindells feathered James Hayes to Schadendorf first ball, cueing the first arrival of rain. After a fleeting shower, Lewis Hill joined Budinger and struck three of the remaining five balls in the opening over to the ropes.

But when he departed in the third over, with the score on 22 for two, the heavens opened and caused a delay lasting for more than an hour. The revised target, 145, required Leicestershire to score a further 123 from just 8.2 overs.

Budinger made a good fist of it, clubbing a 24-ball fifty, guiding a low full-toss from Pocklington round the corner for six to reach his half-century.

Ben Mike made nine as he stepped up his return from a hamstring injury, while Scriven added six, but the rate proved too demanding. Especially when Budinger (52) skied Lord to Schadendorf.

Roman Walker ended unbeaten on 28 (17b), while Sam Wood was five not out from a couple of balls, as the Foxes fell 26 runs short on DLS.