Final Warm-up Fixture Ends In Draw

The Running Foxes’ final warm-up game before the season gets underway ended in a draw, after the captains shook hands at the fall of tea.

The result came with Leeds/Bradford UCCE sitting on 64-4 in their second innings, trailing by two runs, after a strong Leicestershire bowling display in the afternoon session.

Earlier in the day, Ed Barnes and Callum Parkinson built on their overnight partnership, taking the total to 303, before the former feathered behind to Tom Keast off the bowling of Abhishek Paradkar for 23.

Parkinson fell shortly after, LBW to Hishaam Khan for 28. New partners Chris Wright and Will Davis scored fluently around the introduction of the new ball, putting on 46 for the final wicket, before Wright was pinned by Reiko Parker-Cole on 28. The Running Foxes all out for 346, leading by 66.

Leeds/Bradford saw out a sole Wright over before lunch, featuring a couple of Will Wade boundaries.

Post-lunch, Ben Mike wasted no time by striking with his maiden ball of the innings. The right-arm quick trapping Wade for 15.

Davis then grabbed his fourth of the match with another LBW. Josh de Caires acknowledged he was plumb in front, with the teenager walking off before the umpire's finger was raised.

Five overs later, Jack Timby’s middle stump was uprooted by Wright, to leave the students on 41-3.

Tom Keast became the day’s final man to fall, after a flashing off-drive took the outside edge and carried to Harry Swindells, giving Mike his second of the innings.

Sam Dorsey (25*) and Paradkar (7*) batted through to the tea break, at which point the captains shook hands to confirm the match was drawn.

The game was a very testing dress rehearsal ahead of next week’s LV = County Championship opener against Worcestershire CCC. The Club would like to warmly thank Leeds/Bradford UCCE and their players for the fixture and wish them the best of luck for their upcoming season