Hill and Naik shine for Seconds
Mon 4 Jul 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
On Monday 4 July, Leicestershire took on Northamptonshire in the Second XI Trophy at Kibworth CC. As local derbies go this must be the SET equivalent of El Clásico.
Leicestershire had a thoroughly comprehensive victory by 90 runs, thanks to a superlative 125 from Lewis Hill. It was American Independence Day today, and Lew was the star of the show, and certainly earned his stripes.
We arrived at Kibworth CC for our third and final visit of the season. A bright sunny morning was the order of the day, and there were a good sprinkling of spectators scattered around this jewel in the crown of Leicestershire club grounds.
A very well-spoken gentleman from Yorkshire made himself known to me before the game, telling me that he had watched a club game yesterday at Lower Slaughter, in the Cotswolds, and had called in at Kibworth’s ground for a few hours on his way back home. He was extremely impressed with the facilities on offer.
Tom Wells was skippering County, and his opposite number Simon Branston called incorrectly, and Wells elected to bat. Eben Kurtz and Irfan Karim opened up for County at Kibworth, with all these K’s about I munched on a Kit Kat to add to the alliteration of the occasion.
Kurtz was making his first appearance of the season for the County Second XI after finishing the first year of his studies at Durham University. The ‘K’ twins were both back in the pavilion by the time the score had reached 39. Karim (4) was caught at short mid-wicket by Thurston off Branston, and Kurtz (10) was caught at cover by Sole off Richardson.
Hill entered the fray and dispatched the second ball he received, off Branston, to the ropes with relish. Hill was playing a splendid knock, going at round about a run a ball. Wells had joined him and the pair were building a good partnership, Wells launching two huge trademark maximums.
Hill went to his 50 (5x4/64 balls), with the score on 105-2 from 22.1 overs. Hill was running with a high degree of urgency between the wickets to keep the board ticking over, taking on the fielders on a number of occasions.
He reminded me somewhat of anxious shopper, who had been queuing up for the January sales, and racing to the counter when the doors opened. Alternatively, as he has somewhat of a cherubic appearance I could visualise him having delivered a newspaper to a house, and running full pelt down the driveway with a barking Alsatian in hot pursuit.
Wells (40) departed bowled when attempting to propel the ball to Jupiter to accompany that American space probe that is about to be launched, having added 87 for the 3rd wicket with Hill.
Aadil Ali (2) went lbw to Sole before Hill found a steadfast ally in Michael Burgess. Burgess going under the radar somewhat, but scoring at a run a ball. Burgess was rotating the strike at every opportunity. Hill cruised to his century (12x4/119 balls) with the score on 199-4 from 37.2 overs.
Hill’s magnificent knock came to an end when he had made 125, being bowled by a quicker ball from spinner Zaib. I am sure that when Hill hangs his cricket boots up, there will be a career as a golfer lying in wait for him as he never misses the cut. County now on 242-5 from 42.6 overs.
With just 7 overs to go the remaining batsmen were going to have to ‘take one for the team’. Rob Sayer (0) went bowled by Richardson. Just afterwards Burgess (47) went bowled by Ashraf, his runs coming from 49 balls.
We then had a splendid cameo from Matt Stokes who made a run a ball 23 not out, including a delightfully executed reverse sweep that went for 4, first bounce some ten yards from the boundary. Ollie Freckingham (1) was bowled by Zaib, and Jigarr Naik (10*) complimented Stokes in adding an unbroken stand of 24 for the 9th wicket. County finishing on 283-8 from their 50 overs.
Northamptonshire lost an early wicket when Thurston (8) was caught at mid-wicket by Stokes off Freckingham. Henry Munsey and Harry Adair then set about a salvage job adding 71 for the 2nd wicket, before Adair (33) went caught and bowled by Sayer from the first ball of his spell.
Soon afterwards Munsey went to his 50 (6x4/83 balls) with the score on 98-2 from 23.6 overs. Munsey and Zaib took the score to 137 before the wheels came off big time for Northamptonshire.
Zaib (14) went caught by keeper Hill off Naik with Northamptonshire going from 137-2 to 162-9 in the space of 6.2 overs. The Northamptonshire batsmen were like scarecrows in a gale, unsuccessfully trying to keep themselves together.
The carnage comprised of Rippon (2) being run out by a direct hit from Sayer, who had only one stump to aim at, and was some 20 yards away (he might tell you it was more like 35 yards but don’t believe him). Brar (2) was bowled by Atif Sheikh. Branston (1) was caught by the ubiquitous Stokes at deep mid-wicket off Naik.
Richardson (5) was caught at wide long-on by Freckingham off Naik, and Sole (8) was caught at wide mid-on by Sayer, again off Naik. I was hoping Sole might have been caught fishing outside the off stump, but he didn’t take the bait.
Mo Ashraf was last man in, and played a ‘proper’ number 11 role clubbing 28 runs from 19 balls, before being well caught, low down, by Naik at short third man off Freckingham. Northamptonshire all out for 193 from 41.4 overs.
As it is Wimbledon fortnight, game, set and match to Leicestershire winning by 90 runs. A good all-round bowling and fielding display with Naik picking up 4-51 from 10 overs, Freckingham 2-35 from 7.4 overs, and the miserly Sheikh 2-21 from 8 overs.
Sayer weighed in with 1-24 from 4 overs. Stokes did not take a wicket, bowled 6 overs tidily for 25 runs, towards the top of the innings, as did Wells who returned 0-30 from 5 overs. There was one over from Aadil Ali 0-4. Leicestershire 2 points, Northamptonshire 0 points.
Sincere thanks again to all at Kibworth CC for accommodating us. Especially to Steve Pollard for his work on the ground, Club Chairman Steve Elwood for his help with anything and everything, and to Jan and Alison for the excellent food that was served up.
