Foxes abroad - part two

Leicestershire players are continuing to make their mark across the world following the end of the county season in England.

Niall and Kevin O’Brien were both part of the Ireland side that landed a second successive ICC Intercontinental Cup victory.

A mammoth partnership between Will Porterfield and Ed Joyce went a long way to securing a convincing win by an innings and 107 runs. After Namibia posted 251 in their first innings, Porterfield (186) and Joyce (205*) helped Ireland rack up 570-6 declared with a second wicket alliance worth 326.

JJ Smit and Zane Green shared a defiant eighth wicket partnership of 80 in 201 balls in Namibia’s second innings to hold up Ireland's victory charge but the hosts were eventually bowled out for 212.

Auckland University won their opening two Jeff Crowe Cup matches and also had the better of a rain-affected draw in their opening game of the two-day Hedley Howarth campaign. They bowled Papatoetoe out for 144 as Vishi Jeet snared 6-20 before progressing to 164-6 with Tom Wells second top-scoring with 30.

Aadil Ali, who made a big hundred on his University of New South Wales debut, scored 33 as the team put 390 on the board in their latest 2-day game.

Michael Burgess has been busy playing for the Loughborough MCCU side that reached the final of The Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals 2015 in India.

The eight university teams from Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and UAE locked horns in the T20 event in Dehradun, with England meeting South Africa in the final.

It saw Loughborough University take on defending champions Assupol TuksCricket, who represent the University of Pretoria, and they retained the trophy by an eight-wicket margin. New Leicestershire Second XI and Assistant Skills Coach Pierre de Bruyn has most recently worked as Head Coach and Technical Director with Assupol TuksCricket.

Loughborough MCCU batted first and scored 120 and Assupol TuksCricket reached their target in the 17^th over.

* Leicestershire and Rutland trio George Fox, Alan Cook and Jeff Baxter have been enjoying a good Seevent Ashes tour – and there is still all to play for. Australia over 70s pulled level on Thursday (October 29) following a nine-wicket success at the North Sydney Oval.

England scored 207-4 from their 50 overs after electing to bat with Fox leading the way with 71 at the top of the order. A second wicket partnership of 168 between Nev Kratzmann (87 not out) and captain Ross Chapman (93 not out) saw the hosts over the line so everything is set for a fascinating final test in Canberra on Thursday, November 3.

England had previously suffered their first defeat of the tour to New South Wales City XI on Sunday (October 25) despite a strong performance from Cook.

The tourists posted 160-6 from their 45 overs with opener John Day retiring after scoring 51 and Jeff Baxter ending on 4 not out. Cook took 3-26 from his nine overs but New South Wales City XI reached their target for the loss of four wickets with eight deliveries to spare.

England were due to take on a New South Wales County XI on Tuesday (October 27) but that match was cancelled due to thunderstorms.