Chappell and Raine continue to shine
Sun 10 Jun 2018
SCORE | Day 2 of 4, Specsavers County Championship: Northamptonshire CCC 204 & 165 for 3 v Leicestershire CCC 217
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo
REACTION | Neil Dexter spoke to BBC Radio Leicester’s Richard Rae at stumps
HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season
REPORT | Ben Raine and Zak Chappell continued to shine on the second day of the Specsavers County Championship game between Northamptonshire CCC and Leicestershire CCC.
The Foxes’ first innings of 217 was almost a carbon copy of their hosts. Both sides had a top individual score in the forties - Ricardo Vasconcelos (49) and Neil Dexter (45) respectively - and lost seven wickets with around 150 on the board before an eighth wicket partnership ensured they collected a batting point apiece.
Chappell scored 40 to go with his career-best of 6 for 44, sharing 46 with Raine (20) to ensure that the Foxes gain a first innings lead of 13 at Wantage Road.
Raine then picked up 2 for 34 as Northants, who posted the game’s first half-century through skipper Alex Wakely, ended 152 runs ahead with seven second innings wickets intact.
County started the day looking to amass a big first innings lead having worked hard in bowling Northamptonshire out for 204 yesterday and although it didn’t work out that way, they are right in this nip-and-tuck affair.
Ackermann (44), who was hampered by a finger injury sustained in the field yesterday, and Gavin Griffiths resumed with the score at 64 for 3.
Two runs were added before Leicestershire CCC lost their first wicket of the day. Griffiths (1) was the man to go, chipping a ball to Rob Keogh at short mid-wicket off the bowling of Rory Kleinveldt.
Dexter (45) joined Ackermann and their partnership got underway as County’s leading scorer pulled Ben Sanderson over mid-wicket for 6. The pair added 45 for the fifth wicket with most of the runs coming in boundaries, Ackermann being particularly easy on the eye hitting through the leg-side.
He was the second wicket to fall of the session when bowled by Ben Cotton, the delivery just swung away enough to go between bat and pad, leaving County at 111 for 5.
Dexter hit back-to-back boundaries off Buck in the 43rd over, a lovely back foot punch through cover was followed by a flick off his leg which split the gap at fine-leg and deep square-leg.
Hill (7) was dismissed by Keogh, who got a delivery to spin with the ball hitting bat and going on to his pad, giving Vasconcelos a simple catch under the helmet. Dexter was joined by Raine but the partnership was short-lived as Dexter, who struck seven fours in his innings, got an edge to a Sanderson delivery.
The score was now at 146 for 7 and Raine and Chappell added 19 before lunch. Leicestershire CCC added 52 after the interval with Chappell contributing 37 of them.
The first over of the afternoon session was a fruitful one as Chappell hit four boundaries off Keogh, but he then lost his partner as Raine (20) was caught at mid-wicket off Kleinveldt.
Chappell had raced into the forties with his characteristic hard-hitting but was then bowled by Kleinveldt, who then ended with four-for by having Parkinson caught at short mid-wicket for 6, leaving Leicestershire 217 all out.
Raine and Muhammad Abbas shared the new ball and the former took the first wicket by enticing Ben Duckett to play on to his stumps for 17. A lengthy stoppage followed when Rob Newton injured himself attempting a single and the batsman consequently needed a runner.
Newton carried on batting and Northants progressed to 68 for 1 at tea. The bowlers were in top form after the break; Abbas struck with the second ball, bowling Newton for 30, and 27 dot balls followed, including four consecutive maidens from Abbas and Parkinson.
Gradually scoring became easier with Vasconcelos again battling hard on Championship debut alongside Alex Wakely. The pair added fifty before Raine took his second wicket of the innings, bouncing out Vasconcelos (37) to leave Northants at 121 for 3.
‘Keeper Adam Rossington joined Wakely and the pair dug in to take their side to stumps. The skipper reached 50 off 81 balls (7x4, 1x6) in the process, and although that was a valuable contribution, a couple of early wickets would again change the complexion of this intriguing battle.
TEAM | Horton (capt), Dearden, Ackermann, Cosgrove, Dexter, Hill (wk), Chappell, Raine, Parkinson, Griffiths, Abbas.
FIGURES | 1st innings: Abbas 16-4-43-0, Raine 17-5-35-3, Griffiths 11-2-55-0, Chappell 14-2-44-6, Parkinson 4-2-10-0, Dexter 7-1-16-1.
2nd innings: Raine 14-4-32-2, Abbas 14-6-33-1, Chappell 10-2-33-0, Parkinson 12-2-46-0, Griffiths 4-1-11-0.
PHOTO | Thanks to John Mallett for the photo of Ben Raine bowling.
* Leicestershire CCC's next Specsavers County Championship home game is against Middlesex starting on Wednesday, June 20. Tickets are available for all four days online HERE
