Lilley and Scriven Steer Seconds to Comprehensive Victory

Leicestershire kicked off their preparations for next month’s Royal London One Day Cup in emphatic fashion, as a strong Seconds squad defeated Nottinghamshire by 115 runs at Lady Bay.

Arron Lilley hit a terrific 109, while half-centuries from Louis Kimber, Lewis Hill and Harry Swindells helped the Foxes amass a total just shy of 400. Tom Scriven later starred with the ball, taking four for 40, to cap an impressive all-round display.

Having lost the toss, Leicestershire were inserted to bat first, with Nick Welch and Rishi Patel opening up, as they did in last season’s 50-over opener. Welch flicked the maiden ball of the match off his pads down to fine leg for four, an ominous portent of the run-scoring to come.

Although the partnership was to be broken inside three overs. After hitting a lovely, lofted drive straight down the ground to the ropes, Patel was to fall next ball to Brett Hutton. An attempted heave to leg caught a thin edge through to ‘keeper Dane Schadendorf. Patel on his way for 12.

Kimber joined Welch, with the two making a circumspect start to their alliance in the grand scheme of things. The total on 49 for one after 11 overs.

29 runs were taken from the next four overs, before Welch fell for 26, slicing a Joey Evison delivery straight to Matt Montgomery.

Kimber continued his aggression, bringing up a 41-ball fifty, before eventually being bowled by Matt Carter for 65.

Hill wasn’t to be deterred, slog-sweeping Fateh Singh for six in the following over. Joined by Lilley, the two recorded their fifty alliance in 46 balls, before Hill went to his individual half-century in the following over.  

It was soon a century stand and a third half-century of the innings, as Lilley carved Tom Pettman away to the ropes. Lewis Hill fell at the end of the over for a fluent 81 (66b), holing out to James Hayes at long on.

The Foxes went pass 300 with eight overs to go, before Lilley reached his ton. A brilliant 69-ball century (7x4, 4x6), for the all-rounder.

Swindells arrived in belligerent mood, helping club 24 off a Pettman over, to add late innings impetus.

Lilley was bowled by Carter for 109 after attempting to reverse sweep, but the momentum never wavered. Swindells and Tom Scriven thumped 25 from the final two overs to get Leicestershire up to 398 for five after their allotted overs. Swindells 70* (43b), Scriven 25* (11b).

Notts raced out of the traps in reply, flying to 131 without loss inside 12 overs, before Roman Walker had the typically aggressive Sol Budinger caught for 76 (34b) by Nat Bowley.

Bowley was to have joy of his own in the next over, removing fellow opener Ben Martindale for 50, caught by Welch. Spin was proving the key to success, with Lilley enticing a thin edge from Montgomery through to Swindells three overs later.

It took a moment of magic to break the next partnership. Evison set off for a quick single, but Hill’s quick pick up and throw, running round from mid on, was pinpoint in its accuracy.

Schadendorf was the next to go, top edging a slog off Scriven to Swindells, who took a brilliant catch running back towards the boundary.

After a mini resurgence, Sam King and Carter both fell in identical fashion, caught by Lilley off the bowling of Chris Wright, who made a strong comeback after an expensive first few overs to Budinger and Martindale.

The next over saw Scriven pick up his second, bowling Singh for three, leaving Notts 253 for eight. And the all-rounder wrapped up the innings with wickets in successive balls, having Hutton caught by Patel and bowling Pettman for a golden duck. Scriven ending with four for 40, to couple with his quickfire unbeaten 25.

The strong squad home by 115 runs ahead of their final dress rehearsal before the One Day Cup begins. The Foxes travel to Staffordshire on Sunday for their fixture against a National County since 2004.