Mulder Century Cements Strong Position on Day One

Wiaan Mulder hit an unbeaten 147 to guide Leicestershire into a strong position at the culmination of day one against Glamorgan at Uptonsteel County Ground.

Harry Swindells closed on 52 not out, while contributions of 81 from Lewis Hill and 67 from Louis Kimber also helped to propel the Running Foxes’ innings forward.

After winning the toss, captain Callum Parkinson elected to bat first. An unsurprising decision given the mid-summer conditions.

There were two changes, both on first-class debut for Leicestershire, as Joey Evison and Roman Walker were presented with their county caps before play.

Hassan Azad was one of the two featuring at Sussex last week to miss out, meaning Kimber and Rishi Patel were the new opening pair for the Running Foxes.

The two looked fluent from the get-go, with Patel off driving Michael Neser to the ropes inside the opening over, before Kimber followed suit with a splendid straight drive in the Australian’s next over.

Boundaries flowed with regularity. Patel showed both sides of his game within four deliveries of a Michael Hogan over, carefully glancing before belligerently pulling to the ropes.

But he was to fall soon after with the score on 43. Glamorgan skipper David Lloyd brought himself on and saw instant success, as Patel (15) feathered behind to Sam Northeast, who took a sharp low chance at second slip.

Hill joined Kimber and wasted no time in setting about his work. He took James Harris for four boundaries in seven deliveries to signify his intent, scoring at a-run-a-ball throughout the morning session.

At the other end, Kimber brought up a 68-ball half-century with a powerful strike over mid off for six. An undefeated 85-run alliance taking Leicestershire into lunch on 128 for one.

The restart saw momentum temporarily swing in the visitors’ favour. Hogan had Kimber (68) and Ackermann (0) caught behind by Chris Cooke in identical fashion during the third over after the break. The Running Foxes now reduced to 136 for three.

Hill remained stoic, however, going to his half-century with a composed glance for one in the following over.

New batsman Mulder was also unperturbed. The all-rounder raced out of the traps, flicking Hogan to the ropes, before pulling surgically to bisect fine leg and square leg for four more with the following delivery.

But he was to get a huge let off at the end of Hogan’s over. The wily 41-year-old Aussie induced an edge that was spilled by Cooke, who could’ve completed the third dismissal of the combination had he held on.

Runs flowed further, as the pair put on 78 from 106 balls before Hill perished on 81. The Leicestershire number three rocked back an attempted a late cut, but could only guide behind to Cooke, who made no mistake on that occasion, giving Andrew Salter a first wicket of the innings.

Mulder made the most of his second life, pulling Salter powerfully to the mid-wicket fence to record a 69-ball fifty just before tea.

But the interval was to arrive on a sour note, as debutant Joey Evison swatted a full toss from Colin Ingram straight to Neser on the mid-wicket boundary. Leicestershire into tea on 250 for five, with Mulder unbeaten on 68.

Swindells opened his boundary count with an aesthetic drive through the covers immediately after tea. The Running Foxes’ ‘keeper tallying a 50 alliance with Mulder in just 12 overs post-resumption.

Mulder then lofted over mid-on for four to reach a second successive century, this his first at Uptonsteel County Ground. It was a fluent ton, taking just 118 balls to tally, reaching the boundary on 16 occasions.

The 100 partnership was soon accomplished, as Swindells crashed the new ball away for four with disdain, as he began to accelerate.

Such acceleration helped him reach his 50 just before the close, ending unbeaten on 52, with Mulder also not out on 147. Leicestershire 387 for five at stumps.