Dunk Hits Successive Centuries As Academy Qualify For Semi-Finals
Mon 5 Aug 2024
Jamie Dunk struck centuries in successive matches as Leicestershire U18 Boys continued their fine form with two 50-over wins and a high-scoring three-day draw last week.
The 18-year-old stepped up his comeback from injury by hitting an unbeaten ton off 84 balls against Northamptonshire on Monday, before scoring 133 against Nottinghamshire three days later to help the side to joint-top of the ECB Under 18 County Championship.
Dunk led the way in Leicestershire’s second innings as the side earned a draw in a high-scoring affair at Uppingham School, recording his second Championship hundred in as many seasons against Nottinghamshire.
Wicketkeeper Jacob Townsend (105) also reached three figures in the match, while Ronak Rajashekar (67), Keshav Sthanakiya (50), and captain Liam Tew (69) made half-centuries to propel the side to 344 in the first innings having been 32/3 at one stage.
Alex Green (2/36), Darius Fanibanda (2/52) and Tew (2/78) each picked up a couple of wickets as Notts reached 403/9 before declaring overnight.
The early loss of in-form opener Jay Madan brought Dunk to the crease in the fourth over of Leicestershire’s second innings, with the Scotland U19 international quick to assert his authority via a couple of early boundaries off Byron Hatton-Lowe.
Dunk passed 50 from just 69 balls before pulling Mihir Patel for four to reach a superb hundred from 142 deliveries (15x4). He eventually departed for 133, but his knock ensured Jigar Naik’s side could not lose the contest, declaring on 258/6.
The young Foxes sit joint-top in Group One of the ECB U18 County Championship, backing up the nine-wicket win away at Yorkshire last time out with 13 points from the match.
It was Dunk’s second ton of the week after retiring out on 100 in a 33-run victory over Northamptonshire at Leicester Ivanhoe on Monday.
That win followed a superb team performance against Warwickshire the day before, a victory which secured the U18s a spot in the County Cup semi-final stages.
Fielding first, opening bowler Raiffe Headley (9-1-48-3) made early inroads while new-ball partner Green (10-3-27-2) kept things tight at the other end. Fanibanda (7.5-1-30-2), Tew (9-0-36-2) and Ali Farooq (10-1-43-1) also in the wickets as the visitors were dismissed for 209.
Madan, who hit an unbeaten double ton in the Championship win at Yorkshire, made 44 at the top of the order, before Rajashekar steered the team to a four-wicket victory “ the 16-year-old posting a composed 64 (94b) to set up a semi-final clash with Yorkshire at Uppingham School on Sunday.
