Patel Hits Unbeaten 67 on Third Day

An undefeated 67 from Rishi Patel, along with 54 from Hassan Azad, helped the Running Foxes to reduce the arrears on day three versus Sussex.

17-year-old Archie Lenham starred for the visitors, making 48 with the bat as his side ended on 450, before taking 3-47 with the ball on a glowing day for the precocious leg-spinner.

Sussex resumed on a strong overnight total of 386-6, with a lead of 176 runs. Leicestershire threatened early, with Ben Mike seeing chances to dismiss Ollie Robinson go down in successive balls.

Firstly, a flashing drive was shelled in the slips by Patel. Then a top edge down to third man was dropped by Lewis Hill the following ball.

Chris Wright struck in the next over, however. Lenham, on 48, the 17-year-old mistimed a pull straight into the sky, where Swindells waited patiently underneath to complete the dismissal.

20 further runs were added before Leicestershire struck again. Skipper Colin Ackermann demolishing the off stump at the ‘keepers end to run out Robinson, after the England bowler and Aaron Beard tried to make quick ground off a Chris Wright delivery.

Beard and Henry Crocombe added 27 for the ninth wicket before Crocombe holed out to long-on to give Callum Parkinson a third, before Essex loanee Beard lost his middle stump to a Wiaan Mulder yorker.

Leicestershire reached lunch 11 without loss after a brief spurt of six overs, but saw Sam Evans go swiftly after the restart when he was adjudged LBW in Crocombe’s first over.

As they did at Glamorgan, Azad and Patel put on a profitable partnership in each other’s company. The pair added 76 as they batted the majority of the afternoon, with Azad passing his fourth 50 of the season en route.

But the opener fell just before the tea break. Lenham, like Crocombe, struck in his first over of the innings, pinning Azad leg before for 54.

And, just four overs later, the teenage leg-spinner came up with the goods again. Twice. Firstly bowling Ackermann for five, before making it two in two by trapping Hill for a first-ball duck.

The Running Foxes slipped from 94-1 to 108-4, before tea intervened.

Post-resumption, Patel got a life. After showing his attacking intent by crunching Lenham for six earlier in his innings, he went after a short delivery from Crocombe. Patel mistimed the pull but saw Delray Rawlins shell a regulation chance at backward square leg.

County’s number three, along with new partner Wiaan Mulder, made the most of the former’s fortune by adding another half-century stand in the evening session.

The South African all-rounder brought up the 50 alliance with a wonderful off-drive, before Patel earned his individual landmark with a drive down the track from Rawlins.

The Sussex spinner got revenge, though. Mulder, offering no shot, was hit on the pads on 36. The umpire’s finger went up to leave Leicestershire 173-5.

It was the only wicket to fall in the evening session, however. Patel (67*) and Harry Swindells (7*) guiding the side to 195-5 at the close, trailing by 45 runs.