County complete 10-wicket win
Wed 20 Apr 2016
Glamorgan versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 4:
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE
INTERVIEW | An interview with Paul Horton by BBC Radio Leicester’s Richard Rae is available HERE
HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the final day’s play are available HERE
REPORT | Leicestershire produced a clinical final day performance to complete an emphatic ten-wicket win in their opening Specsavers County Championship game of the season at the SSE SWALEC.
Glamorgan resumed 93 ahead at 172-8 and Leicestershire quickly wrapped things up, dismissing their hosts for 191. Ben Raine was the pick of the attack with fine figures of 4-57.
That set a victory target of 113 and Leicestershire openers Paul Horton (64 not out) and Angus Robson (49 not out) chased it down confidently as the Foxes collected a 23-point haul.
The Welsh County would have hoped to frustrate on the final morning with Leicestershire’s nemesis Graham Wagg still at the crease.
However, Wagg was left with no margin for error as Raine made an early breakthrough, Michael Hogan (23) becoming Niall O’Brien’s fifth victim of the innings after nicking an away-swinger.
Wagg (33) now had little choice but to take risks and the all-rounder became the second run out victim of the innings. Wagg attempted to come back for a second run bin order to farm the strike but Robson produced a good throw to bring the Glamorgan innings to its conclusion.
The 24-year-old then made his way to the wicket alongside Horton and the duo constructed a second successive stand of substance.
Horton was particularly strong in hitting fours on the on-side; he timed a number of drives to absolute perfection while also using the pace to guide a couple of glances down to fine-leg.
Robson was generally content to knock the ball around and the home attack was never allowed to settle into a rhythm as a result. However, if anything loose was offered, Robson was quick to latch on to it. The young batsman recorded a second boundary in the 18th over by cracking one of his trademark shots through point.
Wagg again demonstrated his versatility by switching from seam to spin but the batsmen continued to play nicely. Horton moved to a second successive fifty with an expert steer down to third man, the tenth boundary of his 70-ball milestone.
A terrific cover drive from Robson brought four more and with the target down to 24 at 1pm, it looked for a moment like play may continue to allow a conclusion to the game. But after a consultation between the umpiring Steves, Messrs Garratt and O’Shaughnessy, the bails were flicked off and the players went off for luncheon.
The score was 89-0 at that stage, the exact amount that Horton and Robson put on in the first innings, and they continued on their way after the interval. Robson sent one of his powerful cover drives rocketing across the square and a swept single from Horton took the alliance into three figures.
Horton cut Wagg across the lush turf to take the target into single figures and although Glamorgan made County work for every run, the winning moment came at 2.20pmas Robson picked his gap in the covers.
Leicestershire’s next Specsavers County Championship game is the first of the season at the Fischer County Ground on Sunday (11am start). Kent are the visitors and everyone is welcome to attend the first day free of charge as it’s our Open Day – please come down and enjoy the fun!
