Durham CCC | County Championship Match Preview - 26/09/2023

After six months of passion and drama, agony and elation, the curtain comes down on a memorable 2023 season with a trip to champions Durham.

The Foxes will be hoping to spoil the party with their fourth County Championship victory of the campaign, although their promotion hopes hang thin following the rain-affected draw with Yorkshire last week.

Durham have smashed the 200-point barrier as they canter to Division One, boasting half a dozen wins and a mammoth 49 batting bonus points ahead of the season finale.

Last Time We Met:

Leicestershire survived a high-scoring draw in June’s meeting at Uptonsteel County Ground thanks to some final day heroics from Peter Handscomb.

The Aussie ended the day 136 not out from a four and a half hour stay at the crease, as the Foxes reached stumps eight down to deny Durham victory.

Colin Ackermann also impressed, hitting 146 in the first innings, while Sol Budinger, Handscomb and Wiaan Mulder half-centuries helped the Foxes post 400.

Fox to Watch:

It’s been a year to remember for Tom Scriven. The all-rounder has established himself in all three formats in 2023, and has become a key cog in Leicestershire’s red-ball machine.

The 24-year-old has taken 35 wickets at 24.28, the Foxes’ second-highest wicket-taker in the competition behind Chris Wright’s haul of 45.

He’s also gone past 500 runs, with his 78 at Sussex a fortnight ago prime evidence of his capability with bat-in-hand.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Leicestershire fans will already be well aware of his threat, but Ben Raine is the man in focus for this week’s opposition.

Raine has amassed 54 wickets with his canny seam bowling, taken at just 26.33. He’s the second Durham bowler to gone past 50 poles, with Matt Potts (51) also breaking the milestone.

With the bat, the former Fox has only been called upon 12 times, such has been the superiority of Durham’s batsmen this term, but the all-rounder has still scored 222 runs at a handy 24.66.

Squad:

Just one change to the squad which drew to Yorkshire last time out. Colin Ackermann, who missed the fixture through illness, has left for India to join up with the Netherlands squad ahead of the World Cup.

Leicestershire: Amin, Budinger, Cox+, Currie, Davis, Evans, Hill*, Hull, Kimber, Parkinson, Patel, Scriven, Swindells, Wright.