Durham | T20 Match Preview - 12/06/2024

After getting back to winning ways with a thrilling final over victory against Worcestershire on Sunday, Leicestershire are looking to string together successive wins as they head north to face Durham.

Josh Hull’s nerveless last over saw the Foxes over the line, completing an impressive showing with the ball “ headlined by spin duo Lewis Goldsworthy (4-0-1-18) and Rehan Ahmed (4-0-27-2).

Durham have responded to their underwhelming start with two away wins on the bounce. After defeating the Foxes on Friday, David Bedingham’s fifty and Ben Raine’s 5-fer helped beat the Bears by 26 runs at Edgbaston.

FAMOUS FIXTURE:

2022’s victory up at Chester-le-Street was a thumping one amid a topsy-turvy day for the Foxes. After a quick start from Nick Welch (37, 28b) and Rishi Patel (22, 17b) in the opening five overs, Leicestershire were reduced to 80/6 after 12.3 overs.

Wiaan Mulder played a blinding innings to get the side to a competitive score, posting 54 from 33 deliveries thanks to a perfectly-timed end-of-innings acceleration “ including two huge sixes off Andrew Tye in the final over.

With 157 on the board, Rehan Ahmed took centre stage in his debut T20 season “ taking his career-best 4/22. Ollie Robinson was caught and bowled first ball, before a pair of bamboozling googlies accounted for Ned Eckersley and Tye. Durham all out for 106, giving the Foxes a 51-run win.

DECISIVE DUEL:

Josh Hull is fast becoming one of the hottest prospects in T20 cricket. His ice cool composure at the death during Sunday’s win belies his experience “ with the 6ft 7” giant unfazed by the intense pressure.

The Academy graduate relishes that kind of responsibility as he showed during Leicestershire’s One Day Cup final win over Hampshire in September. It could be a role he’s tasked with again if another tight finish is in store on Wednesday.

Matthew Potts has been a thorn in the Foxes’ side before “ standing as the only player to take a T20 hat-trick against Leicestershire. With 52 wickets at 25.52, and the ability to bowl with both the new and old ball, the England international poses a huge threat again this time around.

SQUAD:

The Foxes name an unchanged 14-strong squad for the trip north.

Leicestershire Foxes: Ahmed, Budinger, Cox+, Currie, Goldsworthy, Handscomb*, Holland, Hull, Kimber, Mike, Mulder, Patel, Swindells, Walker.