Foxes looking to start T20 run

Leicestershire Foxes face a crucial double-header of NatWest T20 Blast action this weekend against two sides that have taken previous good form into this season’s competition.

Friday sees the Foxes take on Birmingham Bears under the floodlights at the Fischer County Ground (6.30pm start), and on Sunday they face North Group leaders Northampton Steelbacks at Wantage Road (2.30pm).

The Bears won the competition in 2014 and again reached Finals Day in 2015. They lost to the Steelbacks in the semi-final on that occasion, who went on to run Lancashire Lighting close in the showpiece game.

The Foxes have enjoyed little luck with the weather in the competition so far, suffering a complete washout in their last match at home to Worcestershire Rapids, and being on very much the wrong side of the Duckworth Lewis equation after batting first against the holders at Emirates Old Trafford.

However comprehensive wins against Yorkshire Vikings and Durham Jets have demonstrated Andrew McDonald’s squad is capable of challenging the best in the short format of the game.

“There’s a huge amount of cricket left in the T20 and we see in competitions all around the world that teams go on a run, winning three or four in a row. Once you do that, you break the back of the competition and secure yourself a quarter-final slot,” said Leicestershire’s Elite Performance Director.

The Foxes go into tomorrow’s match sixth in the North Group, just a point behind Notts Outlaws in fourth, and having played a game less than the Rapids in third.

McDonald said: “We haven’t had the chance to go on a run, with bad weather intervening and Duckworth-Lewis keeping popping its head up, so we just hope the rain relents and we get the chance to play full games.”

The Bears have won all three previous matches played in Leicester versus the Foxes, while the Steelbacks have won their last seven T20 matches on their home ground, emphasising the size of the task faced by McDonald’s men.

“We don’t need telling we’re up against quality units – we lost to Warwickshire in the 50-over game a couple of weeks ago, and Northants turned us over at the Fischer County Ground," said McDonald.

“But I do believe the T20 squad we’ve got is capable of anything, so we’ll be looking to get out there against Birmingham on Friday and entertaining what will hopefully be a big crowd.”

The Foxes will be buoyed by having beaten Division Two leaders Essex in the Specsavers County Championship on Wednesday, a win that lifts the county right into the heart of the chase for the single promotion place available this season.

A further boost is provided by the return of big-hitter Kevin O’Brien after the all-rounder impressed for Ireland against Sri Lanka last week. O’Brien took 1-46 from ten overs before scoring 64 from 49 deliveries in the first ODI of the two-match series.

Exciting Pakistan international batsman Umar Akmal is available while South Africa star Cameron Delport will be hoping the weather finally gives him a chance to play his first full match since arriving in England nearly two weeks ago. Michael Burgess is also named in the Foxes’ T20 13-man squad for the first time this season.

Leicestershire ticket-holders to last week's washed out fixture against the Rapids can exchange that ticket for another game of NatWest T20 Blast this season, including the match against the Bears, or claim a refund (minus a £1 administration fee per ticket).

Premium Members or NatWest T20 Blast/One-Day Season Ticket Holders are, as a gesture of goodwill, being offered one free ticket per Membership Card/Season Ticket for another match of their choice during the 2016 season.

To claim either offer call 0116 283 2128, or go to main reception with the ticket for the Worcestershire game. 

Leicestershire Foxes squad: Pettini (captain), Cosgrove, Akmal, Delport, K O’Brien, Hill, Burgess, Dexter, Wells, McKay, Raine, Taylor, Naik.