Evans posts third century in three on day one
Thu 6 May 2021
DAY ONE | Leicestershire CCC 306 for six v Surrey CCC
SCORECARD | Available HERE
REPORT | Sam Evans becomes the first player in the 2021 LV= County Championship to score three centuries, whilst Marcus Harris posts his maiden ton for the Running Foxes in a dominating day for Leicestershire.
Day one got underway at the Uptonsteel County Ground on time despite anticipation of rain following a downpour earlier in the morning.
Colin Ackermann, who was back into the squad after recovering from concussion sustained against Somerset CCC, won the toss and opted to bat as the sunshine was now drenching the Uptonsteel County Ground and soaking up the earlier precipitation.
The other change for the Running Foxes was that Ed Barnes came into the XI to make his Leicestershire CCC debut.
Openers Sam Evans and Hassan Azad got off to a typical start, not scoring at a rapid rate but doing their best to see off the new ball.
Only 7.3 overs into the innings and the opening partnership was living a charmed life as Rikki Clarke dropped Sam Evans’ edge off Jamie Overton at second slip.
The duo, though, only lasted eight more deliveries before Reece Topley “ in for Kemar Roach “ found the edge of Hassan Azad (5) which was caught by Ben Foakes behind the stumps.
The duo lasted 8.5 overs and put on a stand of 13 as overseas batsman, Marcus Harris, made his way to the crease earlier than anticipated for the second game in a row.
Evans and Harris soon went about their business in composed fashion, as both batsmen picked their moments to strike without putting themselves in a position to lose their wicket.
The Running Foxes’ fifty was brought up in the 25th over as the runs began to come more easily. This was emphasised when the partnership’s fifty was brought up only three overs later in a Reece Topley over that yielded double-figure runs for County.
The first interval of the contest was next to come as the Running Foxes sat on 78 for one, with Evans on the verge of his half-century on 47* and Harris accompanying the opener superbly on 24*.
The second session of the day was three balls shy of being two overs old before Evans made his way to his fourth half-century of the season.
The milestone came up from 102 balls as the batsman cut Topley away for his eighth four of the day.
The visitors began utilising the left-arm spin of Amar Virdi more frequently during the afternoon session, with the Running Foxes having more luck off the spinner rather than the likes of Jamie Overton and Rikki Clarke.
Harris soon joined his teammate on recording a half-century in the first innings, as he turned his wrists on a Jordan Clark delivery to send it away for his tenth four of the day. The half-century was Harris’ second of the season and came from 109 balls.
The duo were rarely troubled in the middle and saw out the remainder of the afternoon with relative ease.
The Running Foxes took tea on 192 for one with both batsman approaching their centuries, Evans sat on 88* and Harris closer on 97*. The second wicket partnership at tea, had amassed 179 runs.
Evans came out for the evening session and started quickly, posting boundaries off Clarke and Virdi and caught up Harris who seemed to easily be winning the race to the ton.
The Academy graduate’s early third session boundaries brought his total to 96* with Harris seemingly hanging about on 97*.
A couple of singles later and Harris sat on 99*, and then went on to win the race to the century as he punched Virdi into the offside for another single to bring up his maiden Running Foxes ton from 185 balls. The century included fifteen fours.
One century then turned into two only six balls later as Evans turned Clarke into the legside for a single to bring up his century from 198 balls, including fifteen fours.
The partnership was nearing it’s 200th run before Surrey managed to find the breakthrough.
The wicket to fall was Marcus Harris (101) as Virdi wrapped him on the pads. The partnership ended on 195 as captain Colin Ackermann joined Evans (100*) in the middle.
Virdi then struck again soon after, as he dismissed the second member of the impressive second wicket stand.
The spinner found the inside edge as the shot ricocheted to Jamie Smith at short leg who took the catch to dismiss Evans for 112.
Leicestershire suddenly found themselves with two new batsmen at the crease as Colin Ackermann was accompanied by Lewis Hill with the Running Foxes on 243 for three.
Further, the visitors had the new ball at their disposal which they took immediately as the 80 overs with the old ball were up.
The new ball, though, conceded 16 runs in its first two overs with both batsmen posting two boundaries apiece off the bowling of Topley and Overton respectively.
Topley’s next two overs saw him post a maiden and claim County’s fourth wicket of the day as he pinned Ackermann infront for 33.
Harry Swindells replaced the Skipper and got off to a flier, posting four boundaries in less than his first four overs faced.
Before the day was out, though, Surrey claimed a fifth Leicestershire wicket, as Hill (18) feathered a leg-side delivery from Clarke through to Foakes who took the grab.
Hill was replaced with nightwatchman Ed Barnes who joined Swindells (24*) in the middle to make his Running Foxes debut “ becoming the 491st player to represent Leicestershire in first-class cricket.
Barnes’ stint in the middle as nightwatchman only lasted five minutes before Virdi claimed his third wicket of the innings after bowling the Running Foxes debutant.
Ben Mike joined Swindells (24*) in the middle with just over four overs left in the day.
The duo successfully navigated the remainder of the day which came to a premature end as the rain began to fall, meaning that County ended day one on 306 for six with Swindells on 25* and Mike 0* off six.
FIGURES (1st inns) | Topley 20-4-75-2, Overton 15-2-39-0, Clarke 17-7-28-1, Clark 15-1-59-0, Virdi 26-3-100-3
TEAM | Hassan Azad, Sam Evans, Marcus Harris, Colin Ackermann (C), Lewis Hill, Harry Swindells (wk), Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, Chris Wright, Ed Barnes, Alex Evans.
SURREY CCC | Rory Burns (C), Hashim Amla, Jordan Clark, Rikki Clarke, Ben Foakes (wk), Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith, Mark Stoneman, Reece Topley, Amar Virdi
IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.
MATCH SPONSOR | Thanks to The Commercial Flooring Company for sponsoring round five of the 2021 LV= County Championship.
