Glamorgan CCC | County Championship Match Preview | 24/05/2024

Following a heroic effort to save the game against Gloucestershire last time out, Leicestershire carry their unbeaten 2024 start into another home clash, as Glamorgan visit this Friday.

Rishi Patel’s superb century and Scott Currie’s defiant career-best set the foundations for the Foxes to bat out the final two days to keep themselves in the promotion hunt as we reach the midway point of the red-ball summer.

Glamorgan tasted defeat by two wickets in Cardiff last time out “ their first loss of the season. Marnus Labuschagne and Colin Ingram both struck hundreds in the second innings, but a low total in the first dig cost the Welsh county dearly.

Last Time We Met:

Rishi Patel hundreds are a theme of this preview so far. His career-best performance, 179 at Sophia Gardens, was the headline showing from Leicestershire’s draw in South Wales last July.

Heavy rain forced each side to play for bonus points only. The Foxes earned maximum bowling points thanks to three-fers from Matt Salisbury and Tom Scriven, before Patel, Lewis Hill (78), and Louis Kimber (61) secured maximum batting points deep on day four.

Fox to Watch:

By his own admission, Lewis Hill’s returns with the bat haven’t been in line with his high standards. But a gritty half-century last time out showed his technical and mental resilience, putting runs on the board when the Foxes needed him most.

Hill’s 2023 performances saw him end the season as Leicestershire’s third-highest run-getter, putting up 880 runs at an average of exactly 40.

He’ll be looking to emulate that form this week against a side he’s historically done well against. The Foxes captain has four half-centuries in his last five innings against Glamorgan, averaging 62.6 in that time.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Opposite number Sam Northeast also has history in this fixture. His 410 not out in 2022 stands as the highest-ever individual score against Leicestershire.

He’s also enjoying a magnificent start to the 2024 summer. With 586 runs at an average of 73.25, the Glamorgan skipper is certainly leading by example.

Those numbers were heavily influenced by another mammoth knock, as Northeast scored 335 not out at Lord’s in the opening round of the campaign.

Squad:

Ian Holland comes straight into contention, after joining on loan from Hampshire for the remainder of the 2024 season. Rehan Ahmed is taking a one-game break, so misses out this week.

Leicestershire: Cox+, Currie, Handscomb, Harris, Hill*, Holland, Hull, Kimber, Mike, Patel, Salisbury, Scriven, Swindells.