Eckersley: "The match is in the balance"

REACTION | By Richard Rae

Leicestershire batsman Ned Eckersley said the match was back in the balance after the county’s bowlers took three Glamorgan wickets in the final half hour of an absorbing day’s cricket at a sun-drenched Grace Road.

Charlie Shreck, getting the ball to swing late from the Bennett End, had James Kettleborough caught behind by Niall O’Brien, Tom Wells saw Jacques Rudolph held by O’Brien leaping athletically down the leg-side, and Shreck trapped Will Bragg leg before to leave the visitors 125 ahead with seven second innings wickets remaining.

Earlier, a composed 147 from Eckersley, matching his first class career best, had helped Leicestershire, who had resumed on 202-1, take their first innings score past 400.

Eckersley, who was on 81 overnight, said: “It was great to get past three figures because the Glamorgan seamers bowled really well in the morning, I had to scrap for runs in the first session in particular.

“It was a shame not to get 150 plus, I was really looking for that, but I pushed at a wide one. There’s a big chance for us to come in hard tomorrow, take a couple of early wickets and try and put them under pressure. The match is pretty much in the balance – both sides will see themselves as very much in the game.”