Impressive Foxes land third Championship win
Wed 27 Jun 2018
SCORE | Day 3 of 4, Specsavers County Championship: Leicestershire CCC 297 and 133 for 4 beat Derbyshire CCC 245 and 184 by 6 wickets
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo
REACTION | Head Coach Paul Nixon spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae following the win
HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season
POINTS | Derbyshire CCC 4 points, Leicestershire CCC 21 points
REPORT | Leicestershire CCC moved up to third in the Specsavers County Championship table after a clinical six-wicket success at Derbyshire CCC.
New ball duo Muhammad Abbas and Ben Raine were outstanding in sharing nine wickets, and Colin Ackermann and Paul Horton continued their fine form as the team won inside three days at the 3aaa County Ground.
Abbas took 6 for 54 and Raine collected 3 for 67 as the Foxes bowled out Derbyshire CCC for 184 in their second innings despite Matthew Critchley’s fine 86, meaning County had a chase of 133.
Horton (48) and Ackermann (58), who has now scored 689 runs in the competition at a brilliant average of 68.90, shared 97 for the second wicket as Leicestershire CCC picked up 21 points in recording their third win in four matches.
There was an eventful start to the day; Abbas found the outside edge of Billy Godleman (10) first up with the ball dropping just short of Mark Cosgrove at second slip, the second ball was sent for four through extra cover, and the left-hander then lost his off stump to the third delivery.
Raine nearly made it two when Hughes edged on 20 but the ball went to ground as Lewis Hill dived to his right. However, Hill then took a sensational catch to dismiss Hughes (30) as Abbas struck for a fourth time in the innings.
Derbyshire CCC was effectively 34 for 5 at that stage and it nearly became six without further addition when Smit offered a chance of Abbas to Cosgrove at second slip.
Critchley continued to play his strokes as part of a 42-run alliance with wicket-keeper Daryn Smit (13) before the latter played on to Raine, who had replaced Abbas at the Racecourse End.
All-rounder Critchley passed 50 (71b, 7x4) but Derbyshire lost their seventh wicket when Hardus Viljoen (0) drilled the left arm spin of Callum Parkinson to Ackermann at long-on.
Lunch was taken with the score at 148 for 7 and the eighth wicket fell after the addition of four runs in the second session, Raine removing the middle stump of Tony Palladino (8).
Abbas claimed his five-for by bowling Duanne Olivier (9) before Critchley really went for his strokes, including a straight four and six off two consecutive deliveries in the 57th over.
He moved within 14 runs of a century before becoming the sixth victim of Abbas, pulled high to Gavin Griffiths at mid-on.
Leicestershire CCC lost their first wicket in the second over when Sam Evans (2) edged Viljoen, Harvey Hosein taking a neat catch diving to his right.
Ackermann immediately looked in good touch, sending a brace of boundaries through straight mid-wicket, and he went on to play a number of fine drives and pulls.
Opener Horton generally used the pace of the ball to guide runs while his batting partner raced to 50 off 68 balls with an eighth four, a lapped sweep off Critchley.
The Foxes required a further 46 runs at tea and Derbyshire CCC fought hard as Ackermann and Cosgrove (4) were caught behind off Olivier and Viljoen respectively.
Horton hit two successive fours in the 27th over and although he was trapped lbw for 48 with four runs required, the team recorded their second successive away win the competition as Hill (3*) hit the winning runs alongside Neil Dexter (11*).
The team now takes a break from the Specsavers County Championship and is back in action in the Vitality Blast at Northants Steelbacks next Wednesday.
TEAM | Horton (capt), Dearden, Ackermann, Cosgrove, Dexter, Hill (wk), Raine, Parkinson, Jones, Griffiths, Abbas.
Concussion replacement: Evans for Dearden.
FIGURES | 1st innings: Raine 13-3-52-2, Abbas 14-4-47-2, Jones 11-0-39-1, Griffiths 8-1-29-1, Parkinson 11-1-50-3, Dexter 9-2-20-1.
2nd innings: Raine 21-3-67-3, Abbas 24-7-54-6, Griffiths 6-2-21-0, Parkinson 7-0-22-1, Jones 2-1-5-0.
PHOTO | Thanks to John Mallett for the photo of Muhammad Abbas bowling.
* Tickets for our first Vitality Blast home game against Durham Jets on Friday, July 6 cost just £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s in advance of the fixture. Secure your seat at the Fischer County Ground today HERE
