Durham Cricket Match Preview - 14/04/2022

Ahead of the Running Foxes' second game of the 2022 campaign against Durham CCC, read our comprehensive preview below. 

The season so far: 

Both teams earned draws in rather differing circumstances on the opening round of the County Championship season last week. 

Durham made the trip to Cardiff to face Glamorgan and had the better of a rain-affected draw.  Bowling the home side out for 234, Durham made 383 in reply with England opener Alex Lees carrying his bat for a magnificent 182 not out.

Despite a first innings deficit of 149, Glamorgan eased their way to a draw with Durham taking just five wickets as Glamorgan posted 220 before the captains shook hands on day four.

While that match looked like being a draw for some duration, Leicestershire also managed a draw, but from a rather unlikely scenario in their match at the Uptonsteel County Ground against Worcestershire.

Needing to bat the entirety of day four, an incredible unbeaten century from Hassan Azad, and his unbroken last wicket stand with Beuran Hendricks which lasted well in excess of an hour saw the Running Foxes pick up 12 points from their draw in the opening round.

Last time we met:

 We have to go back to the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 to find the last time the two teams met in red ball cricket, in what was a rain-ruined encounter.

Batting first, Durham made 291-8 declared with that man Lees scoring 64, and David Bedingham 96.  Gavin Griffiths took three wickets for the Running Foxes.

With both teams forfeiting an innings in an attempt to obtain a result, Leicestershire posted 208-3 with half-centuries from Sam Evans and captain Colin Ackermann as the match concluded as a draw.

 Opposition players to watch:

Alex Lees: Despite an indifferent start to his international career, left-handed opener Lees will be one of the key wickets for our bowlers to take. The ex-Yorkshire man has already notched up his first ton of the season and scored 625 runs at a shade under a 40 average in the Championship last season.

Chris Rushworth: Early season conditions are typically to the Durham seamer’s liking, and the Leicestershire batters will need to play the veteran well if they are to achieve a positive result from the four days. The 35-year-old was Durham’s leading red-ball wicket taker last season with 59 at an average below 20, adequately illustrating the threat he poses.

 Our players to watch: 

Hassan Azad: While Durham’s left-handed opener posted an unbeaten century last week, so did ours. Azad’s marathon effort against Worcestershire was truly outstanding and virtually single-handedly helped us to draw the match - no doubt he will be looking to replicate his achievements over the coming week.

Beuran Hendricks: The other hero at the end of the Worcestershire match last week, Hendricks taking the plaudits for his batting was rather less expected than with the ball. Our overseas signing from South Africa bowled well in round one without picking up the rewards that his efforts deserved and he will be keen to move up the wicket-taking charts in Durham, at what has typically been a good early-season wicket for pacers.

SQUAD: Head Coach Paul Nixon has named a 13-man squad to travel to Durham for our second County Championship fixture tomorrow. 

Leicestershire CCC from 13:

Colin Ackermann (C), Hassan Azad, Ed Barnes, Will Davis, Sam Evans, Beuran Hendricks, Louis Kimber, Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, George Rhodes, Harry Swindells (wk), Nick Welch, Chris Wright.