Chappell and Sykes lead Seconds recovery
Tue 9 Jun 2015
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
Half-centuries from Zak Chappell and James Sykes helped Leicestershire 2nd XI into a position of strength on the first day of the Championship game against Worcestershire at Kidderminster.
A sunny day was not as warm as it could be due to a cool breeze. The boundary opposite the pavilion being lined with spectators cars, backed up to the wall that shields the ground from the busy Chester Road.
Adjacent to the Clubhouse is a Masonic Lodge that had its doors shuttered and locked and its blinds closed to protect the secrets within. The Scorers are situated at the opposite end of the ground at the Railway End.
Tom Wells skippered County and won the toss and elected to bat. Matt Pardoe and Eben Kurtz opened the innings, and Pardoe was out of the blocks in blistering style. At the end of the 4th over County had raced to 39-0 with Pardoe having amassed all 39 of the runs, with nine fours and a three.
He took a particular liking to Josh Tongue, and was in no way tongue tied, depositing the seamer for six fours from his first eight balls. Pardoe’s cameo came to an end when he had reached 48 (22 balls), going lbw to Ross Whiteley. The first wicket went down with the score on 59.
Neil Pinner joined Kurtz and had made 10 when he was caught at short cover by Alex Kervezee off Alex Hepburn. Kurtz was playing a very solid and watchful innings, showing great maturity and patience as he built his innings.
Lewis Hill (0) replaced Pinner but only lasted for 7 balls, edging Hepburn behind to keeper Joe Clarke. Wells joined Kurtz with the score on 71-3 from 12.4 overs. The pair batted very sensibly, and set about repairing the early damage.
Wells was firmly in three-day mode and tailored his game to suit the occasion. Kurtz (38 from 90 balls) was looking very impressive when he offered a chance to mid-off, which Shaaiq Choudhry gleefully accepted off the bowling of Brett D’Oliveira. A very accomplished innings from Kurtz, who was making his first appearance of the season due to a break in his studies at Durham University.
County were now on 126-4 and Aadil Ali joined Wells, but he was soon on his way, bowled by D’Oliveira without scoring. Chappell joined Wells but did not have to face a ball before lunch. Wells (32 from 67 balls) was trapped lbw with the last ball of the final over before lunch, County going in on 132-6 from 34 overs.
If the morning session belonged to Worcestershire, Chappell and Sykes brought County right back into the game with a splendid partnership of 113 for the 7th wicket.
Worcestershire opened up after lunch with an all spin attack of Choudhry and D’Oliveira. The pair rattled up 98 off the first 13 overs after lunch off of the spin attack, Sykes hitting two maximums and Chappell one. The 100 partnership came up after the pair had been together for 18.2 overs.
Chappell was first to his half century (7x4,1x6) from 55 balls with the score on 236-6 from 52.5 overs. Chappell (52) went caught by George Rhodes off seamer Wade with the score on 245. Ollie Freckingham joined Sykes, and looked on as Sykes went to his 50 (6x4,2x6) from 79 balls, with the score on 249-7 after 58 overs.
Freckingham was far from a dormant partner and contributed strongly with a run a ball 25 as the pair added 41 for the 8th wicket, Freckingham being caught at slip by Tom Kohler-Cadmore off Hepburn.
George Corbett joined Sykes but almost immediately Sykes (66) was caught at square leg by D’Oliveira off Hepburn. Alex Wyatt joined Corbett with County still needing 13 runs to secure a fourth batting point. Corbett ably supported Wyatt with a valuable 2 not out from 27 balls.
The ‘Oakham Bradman’ guided a four through the slip cordon and then pierced the field with two majestic boundaries, the fourth batting point being successfully pouched. Wyatt (16) then went lbw to Hepburn, County being all out for 305 from 74.1 overs. Sykes and Freckingham both made their highest score in a 2nd X1 Championship match.
Hepburn was the pick of the Worcestershire attack with 5-66 from 20.1 overs. Hopefully some (My) Fair Lady will treat him to a Breakfast at Tiffany’s (I am sure a few readers of this will remember black and white films).
Tea was taken at the end of County’s Innings and Worcestershire had 29 overs remaing in the day for their reply. Kohler-Cadmore and D’Oliveira opened up with Freckingham and Chappell taking the new ball for County.
Chappell, operating at The Masonic Lodge End, had D’Oliveira (4) caught at cover by Pardoe with the score on 18. Soon afterwards Wyatt replaced Chappell and with the fourth ball of his first over had Kohler-Cadmore (17) caught at mid wicket by Kurtz. Worcestershire now on 21-2.
The score had advanced to 30 when the Umpires took the players off for bad light at 5.35pm. At 6.20pm, with dark clouds still hovering over the ground and with the weather radar showing that rain was approaching, play was called off for the day.
