Outstanding McKay gives Foxes the edge

Leicestershire versus Sussex, Specsavers County Championship, Day 2:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE 

INTERVIEW | Ned Eckersley spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps, the interview is available HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the second day are available HERE

REPORT | Leicestershire have a handy advantage at the halfway stage of the Specsavers County Championship game against Sussex thanks to a solid performance from the seamers. 

County added 18 runs to their overnight 322-7, captain Mark Cosgrove being the last batsman out for a superb 128 (186b, 17x4). 

Clint McKay was then in inspired form in returning season-best figures of 4-29 off 20 overs while Ben Raine and Zak Chappell chipped in with two wickets apiece as the visitors were reduced to 201-9 at one point.

An unbroken last wicket stand of 75 in 25 overs between Vernon Philander (69*) and Danny Briggs (23*) helped Sussex to 276-9 by stumps, but Leicestershire still hold a 64-run lead in this absorbing encounter.

Earlier in the day, Leicestershire batted for a further 9.1 overs in being bowled out for 340 with paceman Jofra Archer finishing with 5-67 from 30 overs and Chris Jordan taking the final three wickets.

Chappell produced one superb off-drive to move to 44 but an attempted drive through the on-side somehow found its way to Chris Nash at mid-off. McKay (2) then got a thick outside edge with gloveman Michael Burgess completing the dismissal.

The skipper tried to get the Foxes up to a fourth batting point but after thumping a four through mid-wicket, all-rounder Jordan enticed him to drive to Vernon Philander at mid-off.

All-rounder Chappell continued his strong performance by taking a key early wicket, pegging back the off stump of Sussex captain Chris Nash to end his stay at 5.

Harry Finch produced a series of stylish drives through the off-side but the opener lost two more partners before the interval as McKay brought consecutive deliveries back in to left-handed duo Luke Wells (12) and Stiaan van Zyl to trap them in front. 

Sussex went to lunch at 62-3 and Luke Wright dealt mainly in boundaries after the interval, including a trio of stylish straight drives off Dieter Klein. 

Finch recorded both his half-century and the 50-run alliance with a push for three through the covers. The personal landmark came from 75 deliveries and contained six boundaries and an all-run four. Wright continued to put bat to ball, and although one four off McKay was fortunate given it flew off the shoulder of the blade, the batsman also played plenty of authentic strokes.

The number five batsman’s 36 (47b) included eight fours but his stay was ended by Raine, who produced three quality deliveries in a row. Raine’s first delivery moved back in considerably, the second shaped away from a similar length and the third delivery did just enough off the seam to beat an aggressive pull shot, Wright losing his off stump in the process.

Sussex slipped into further trouble when Michael Burgess (1) became a third victim to McKay’s profitable wicket to wicket approach, before Finch, who had been the mainstay with a solid 61, missed a Raine delivery that nipped back to disturb the off stump.

Things could have been worse for the visitors as a Chappell delivery was called a no-ball before it hit the stumps of David Wiese when the batsman was on 1. But Chappell would soon have his man, Wiese feathering to Ned Eckersley having added six more runs to leave Sussex at 156-7.

Jordan was fortunate to edge the ever-accurate McKay just short of Paul Horton at first slip early in his innings but he settled to share 39 with Philander as the visitors avoided the follow-on. 

The England all-rounder’s knock of 36 included three fours and a top-edged six over the ‘keeper’s head. He would eventually fall to McKay courtesy of a terrific catch, Tom Wells diving to his left in the covers.

County claimed maximum bowling points when Archer hooked Klein to Mark Pettini at deep backward square-leg but Philander continued to frustrate the Leicestershire attack alongside Danny Briggs.

The number nine, who has a first-class career-best of 168, played a sensible innings. He defended well and was quick to latch on to anything that gave him room to free his arms, collecting seven fours in an 85-ball fifty.

A first boundary from Briggs, struck off the back foot from the generally accurate off-spin bowling of Colin Ackermann, took the alliance to 50 in the 73rd over.

Leicestershire immediately took the new ball but only four deliveries were possible from Raine. Conditions were very gloomy and, umpires Alex Wharf and Nitin Menon, a first-class umpire from India who is in England as part of the ECB Umpire Exchange programme, called a halt to proceedings with 7.2 overs still scheduled to be bowled at that point.

Although the closing exchanges were frustrating, Leicestershire could be pleased with their perfomance on day two; especially McKay, who bowled 11 maidens and conceded only four boundaries in his 20-over stint. 

Bowling figures for Leicestershire: Klein 13-1-72-1, Chappell 13-0-61-2, McKay 20-11-29-4, Raine 18.4-4-47-2, Wells 4-0-24-0, Ackermann 12-1-28-0.

* Thanks to Ed Melia for the photograph of Clint McKay.