County suffer last-gasp agony

Northamptonshire versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 4:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE 

INTERVIEW | Head Coach Pierre de Bruyn spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps, the interview is available HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the final day are available HERE

RESULT | Northamptonshire (21 points) beat Leicestershire (3 points) by two runs

REPORT | Leicestershire produced a magnificent final day performance but ultimately suffered the cruelest of Specsavers County Championship defeats against Northamptonshire this evening.

Chasing 394 to win at Wantage Road, a score that would have been the club's highest ever chase in the competition, Leicestershire were within three runs of landing a famous victory.

There were contributions throughout the order including 105 from Colin Ackermann, Mark Cosgrove's 76 and a plucky maiden first-class half-century from Mathew Pillans, who stood in disbelief as the ball looped off his bat to point, clinching a two-run success for the home side.

For those with nerves of steel, this was first-class cricket theatre at its best; the plot took several turns and could have ended in any number of fates until Leicestershire learnt theirs at the death.

It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Yes, there were moments of fortune as Northants’ fielders put the pink ball down on several occasions to add to the day's drama.

But a hefty chase was always going to need an element of luck in a match where the majority of players were facing a pink ball for the first time - and surely nobody would have begrudged Leicestershire a first Championship victory of the season given the circumstances and the application, determination, spirit and skill on show.

Resuming at 44 without loss, the Foxes got off to an encouraging start, taking ten runs off the first two overs as Paul Horton and Arun Harinath quickly settled to the task.

But Northants would strike twice in the opening half hour as Leicestershire's openers fell for 26 apiece. Ben Sanderson took out Harinath’s leg stump and Richard Gleeson, who played the leading role for the home side, had Horton caught at the wicket by Ben Duckett.

Ackermann and Cosgrove then raised Leicestershire’s hopes of a win with a stand of exactly 100 for the third wicket during the first session of day four, moving the score 161-2 at lunch with 233 required.

Cosgrove played in his usual aggressive manner while Ackermann's collected defence was a perfect foil. The duo steered Leicestershire back into the game leaving a target of 3.53 for the remaining 66 overs.

County's skipper began with two straight driven boundaries and raised fifty in 65 balls with seven fours which were predominantly scored through the off-side. He hit a further brace of boundaries before the first interval, driving through the covers before pulling powerfully behind square.

Cosgrove took his boundary tally into double figures but perished 24 runs short of a third competition hundred of the summer.

The left-hander had been dropped twice - on 23 by opposite number Alex Wakely in the cordon and 39 when Rory Kleinveldt shelled a caught and bowled chance - but there was to be no third reprieve when he chipped Sanderson to Gleeson at mid-on with the score at 188.

Opportunities continued to come and go for Northants: Eckersley and Ackermann were both put down at slip, on 23 and 43 respectively, during another important stand that yielded 58 for the fourth wicket.

Ackermann progressed to a gritty 50 from 119 balls (7x4) while Eckersley was the main contributor with 42 runs, including six boundaries.

But just as Eckersley looked set, the number five batsman struck Muhammad Azharullah to cover, a position where substitute fielder Harry Adair snapped up the chance to leave Leicestershire at 246-4, still requiring 148 to win.

Ackermann moved through the gears during the innings; happy to play a supporting role to both Cosgrove and Eckersley but then taking charge of the chase after their departures.

The 26-year-old collected runs all around the wicket, looking equally comfortable when cutting and pulling the seamers, sweeping and reverse sweeping Rob Keogh, and driving both seam and spin on both sides of the wicket.

County got to tea without further loss, Ackermann taking 13 off the final over of the session from off-spinner Keogh, including three boundaries. It took the score to 276-5 and Leicestershire's target was down to 121 off 33 overs.

A wonderful straight drive brought Ackermann his 12th four in the 80th over and the second new ball was then taken immediately.

Nine runs came from the first offering of the new cherry but it wasn't all plain sailing. Although Lewis Hill timed a cut to perfection, Ackermann may have been dismissed had there been a third slip when edging Gleeson. Instead the ball raced to the ropes.

There was a further twist as Leicestershire lost two wickets in as many deliveries. Another edge brought the first of the dismissals, Hill (21) going to Gleeson courtesy of a catch by Chesney Hughes at first slip, and Rob Sayer went to the next delivery as a full toss rapped him on the pad.

This was not the cue for Northants to turn the screw – Ackermann and Pillans, who played a crackerjack of an innings, launched a counter-attack at the pace more accustomed to the King Power Stadium.

Ackermann moved into the nineties and took the score beyond 300 by shuffling down the wicket and smashing Sanderson for a six over long-on. Pillans got off the mark with a maximum of his own, striking high and mighty over third man, while Ackermann used his feet again to drive Sanderson over extra cover for four.

Leicestershire's number three batsman progressed to his second Leicestershire century from 190 balls (14x4, 1x6) and though it was dark, and the ball still relatively new, Pillans played a full array of shots.

His fifth boundary, hammered back over the head of Sanderson, took the target down to 50, and the 50 partnership soon followed from just 42 deliveries.

But with the alliance at 58 and the target down to 37, a key blow was struck by the skilful Gleeson as County lost their centurion to a feather behind. Clint McKay (5) was then caught behind off Kleinveldt and with 26 to win, the pendulum looked to have swung again.

Pillans continued the fight, however, picking up two fours to move to a magnificent 41-ball half-century, his maiden milestone in first-class cricket.

There was a heart-in-mouth moment when Klein, on four with seven needed, nicked Gleeson but Duckett could not hold on to what would have been a fine one-handed catch diving to his right. Surely the denial of Gleeson’s five-wicket haul was a sign that it was to be Leicestershire's night.

But with just three needed, Pillans (56) offered a defensive stroke to Kleinveldt and the ball looped off the outside edge square of the wicket, where Josh Cobb took a diving catch. The defiant last wicket stand (23) was to have no fairytale ending.

The batsmen’s reaction spoke for everyone of a Leicestershire persuasion; Pillans having a moment of reflection while rooted to the spot while Klein was down on his haunches at the non-striker’s end.

Although the immediate feeling, naturally, was one of a gut-wrenching nature, Leicestershire should take nothing but pride from this performance when they reflect on it in the coming days ahead of next Wednesday’s trip to face Sussex at Arundel.

* Thanks to Ed Melia for the photo of Colin Ackermann.