Cosgrove: "We're in a really good spot"

Experienced Leicestershire CCC batsman Mark Cosgrove believes that the final session at Durham CCC should not be allowed to detract from what had been a very positive start to the season.

The Foxes dominated for the vast majority of the game, posting 440 in the first innings and taking 20 wickets with young seamer Gavin Griffiths returning career-best match figures of 10 for 83.

A chase in the final session did not go to plan but Cosgrove said that the performance gives the team great heart as they prepare for an encounter with his former team Glamorgan CCC at the Fischer County Ground tomorrow.

“We should have beaten Durham, and deserved to win that game, but we just didn’t win it,” said Cosgrove. “We had one bad session and that cost us. But we played really well and it gives us a lot of confidence to take into the game against Glamorgan.

“Gav [Griffiths] bowled fantastically and it was the first time in a long while that we have taken 20 wickets in a match. Normally the pitches nibble a little bit at this time of year but we’ve played on some great wickets for batting. 

“They have been flat and there’s been a little bit of turn, which brings Parky [Callum Parkinson] into the game a little bit more. We’ve hardly missed out on a bowling point which is a fantastic effort by the bowlers. So we just need to get over the line now.”

Cosgrove is enjoying working with Head Coach Paul Nixon and the coaching staff, and is looking forward to seeing a few familiar faces over the next few days.

“It’s a fantastic environment that we have here,” said Cosgrove. “Nico's [Paul Nixon’s] enthusiasm is driving the squad; we're working hard, training hard, and enjoying each other's company and successes. We're in a really good spot.

“We just need to win a game, and then we'll win get another, and more. We want to do it for the fans, who were fantastic in Durham. They follow us all over the country and we always get some positive feedback from them.

“Glamorgan is still a club close to my heart, it’s a fantastic club and it’s always nice to catch up with some old mates. But it’s always nice to score runs, whoever we’re playing against.

“I’m feeling that I’m batting well and hopefully a big score is just around the corner. If we play like we did last week, we’ll be right on course for a win at home.”

Nixon feels that his squad has taken the learnings from Monday’s heartbreaking final session and believes that the short-term pain will result in long-term gain.

“It hurt a lot and we were disappointed with the manner of a few of the dismissals, but the players concerned have acknowledged that, which is vital,” said Nixon.

“We’re determined to come back hard against Glamorgan, not just to prove a point, but because there's a four-week gap until the next [Specsavers County] Championship match, and we want to be in a good position when the competition resumes.”

Nixon was delighted with the showing of Griffiths, who is bowling beautifully after a winter's work with new Head Bowling Coach Matt Mason. The 24-year-old took five wickets in the space of 24 balls in Durham's second innings to burst the game open for his side.

“It deserved to be a match-winning spell,” acknowledged Nixon. “Gavin [Griffiths] has always had good white-ball skills, and he used them with the red ball especially in their first innings when he bowled some great yorkers. 

“We have to be careful we don't over-bowl him, but he knows now he's a respected member of the team who can win matches for Leicestershire, and that will be huge going forward.”

Ned Eckersley will miss out with the finger injury sustained at Durham CCC so Lewis Hill will keep wicket. Ateeq Javid, who recently scored a large unbeaten century for the Second XI, comes into the 12-man squad. 

Glamorgan has named an unchanged 13-man squad for the game after losing to Kent CCC in their latest fixture. The Welsh County is led by fast bowler Michael Hogan, and are boosted by the experience and quality of fellow Australian Shaun Marsh in their middle order. 

Leicestershire CCC (from 12): Carberry (capt), Aaron, Ackermann, Cosgrove, Dexter, Griffiths, Hill (wk), Horton, Javid, Klein, Parkinson, Raine.

Glamorgan CCC (from 13): Hogan (capt), Selman, Murphy, Marsh, Donald, Carlson, Cooke (wk), Lloyd, Salter, Carey, de Lange, van der Gugten, Smith.

* Join Team Leicestershire as a Member to allow you to enjoy the entire game against Glamorgan CCC at the Fischer County Ground. More information about the great range of benefits that our Membership has to offer is available HERE