Foxes abroad - part one
Mon 12 Oct 2015
The 2015 season may have finished but Leicestershire players are still making their mark in various parts of the world.
Aadil Ali and Tom Wells both made hundreds for university sides in Australia and New Zealand respectively while the O’Brien brothers have been performing well for Ireland in their ODI series in Zimbabwe.
Ali had a particularly memorable debut in the first grade for University of New South Wales, scoring a magnificent 162 after opening the batting.
His efforts went a long way to ensuring UNSW racked up 397-7 against Blacktown. The opposition moved to 36-0 when stumps were drawn on the opening day of the season. Blacktown will resume their innings next Saturday.
All-rounder Wells also made a century batting at number four as Auckland University landed a comfortable 94-run victory at Birkenhead City Cricket Club in the Jeff Crowe Cup.
Wells’ 112 off 100 balls helped Auckland post 274-5 from their 50 overs and he then went on to claim a brace of wickets as Birkenhead were dismissed for 180.
O’Brien is participating in a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe, where the hosts have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead.
The wicket-keeper made 50 off 61 balls batting at number four as Ireland put a competitive 268-7 on the board in the latest fixture. Paul Stirling (72) and Gary Wilson (65) also posted half-centuries.
Niall’s brother Kevin took a tidy 2-46 from his ten overs but Craig Ervine’s unbeaten century guided Zimbabwe home by five wickets with nine balls to spare.
Ervine had made 60 in the first contest as Zimbabwe edged to victory by a two-wicket margin. Kevin O’Brien scored 15 and bowled four overs at a cost of 24 runs in that game. Wilson (70*) and Ed Joyce (53) and George Dockrell (10-0-29-2) were Ireland’s stand-out players in that match.
* Mark Cosgrove (South Australia) and Clint McKay (Victoria) are part of state sides that have made strong starts in the Matador BBQs One Day Cup. Victoria and South Australia have both recorded two wins from their opening three 50-over games to sit in second and third place respectively.
Leicestershire CCC Head Coach Andrew McDonald will be part of the Big Bash League later in the Australian summer when he lines up for Sydney Thunder.
