Leicestershire Assemble Significant Advantage On Second Day At Sophia Gardens
Sat 5 Apr 2025
By Blake Bint | ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay.
Veteran bowler Chris Wright smashed an unbeaten 74 to accompany Lewis Hill’s 96, Peter Handscomb’s 63, Sol Budinger’s 56 and Ben Cox’s 51 not out to give Leicestershire a commanding 197-run lead over Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.
Former and current captains Hill and Handscomb combined for a 142-run partnership after weathering a stor m from Asitha Fernando who has a debut four-wicket haul for Glamorgan. Other debutant, Shoaib Bashir remained wicketless from 22 overs.
After Hill was dubiously run out, wickets fell regularly until a swashbuckling innings from 39-year-old Wright for his 15th first-class half-century took Leicestershire past four batting points in an unbeaten 102-run 9th-wicket partnership, with Rishi Patel unable to bat.
After resuming for day two in a windy Cardiff with the sun beating down on the pitch that bettered as day one progressed, Leicestershire had a strong start at 65 for 1, trailing Glamorgan by just 164 runs.
Signs for a Glamorgan fightback looked slim throughout the first session. Opener Budinger pushed past 50 with ease, so much so that a maiden first-class century looked inevitable. With Ben Mike at number three, the run rate seamlessly ticked before the all-rounder was dismissed for 41, lbw to Fernando picking up his first ever wicket for the Welsh county.
While it wasn’t long after when Budinger parted ways, Glamorgan’s high didn’t last long despite a strong spell from Fernando. It took Glamorgan over an hour after lunch to finally have their breakthrough.
Handscomb top edging an Andy Gorvin short delivery for 63 after he and Hill comfortably passed half-centuries in a dominating period for the Foxes. The wicket ended a 142-run stand between the pair.
In familiar fashion, one wicket for the hosts brought strong spells. From 265 for 3 to 276 for 6, Hill next to go just four short of his first century since June 2023. Then Rehan Ahmed, clipping an angled in half-volley to Eddie Byrom at square-leg to give Gorvin another in a bright spell.
A game of cat and mouse negotiated Leicestershire to tea, a session of two halves as it closed out with Glamorgan restricting the visitors to seven runs in seven overs, Ben Kellaway impressing in an economical spell, Namesakes Ben Cox and Green cautiously aiming to steer the ship, knowing Rishi Patel cannot bat due to his thumb damaged early on day one.
Green eventually got off the mark but added nothing of substance followed by Tom Scriven when the new ball was taken. The depth in batting was shown by the 14 career half-centuries of Wright walking out to bat at effectively number 11. Fourteen 50s turned to 15 with a handsome straight six off Kellaway to reach the 47-ball milestone dealing almost entirely in boundaries, supported by Cox in their mighty last-wicket partnership as the tiring Glamorgan bowlers began to dwindle.
Leicestershire lead by 197 runs heading into the third day at Sophia Gardens.
