Positive batting yields two points
Sun 29 Apr 2018
SCORE | Day 3 of 4, Specsavers County Championship: Leicestershire CCC 267 for 5 v Derbyshire CCC
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo
REACTION | Paul Horton spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps
HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season
REPORT | Paul Horton and Colin Ackermann posted half-centuries as Leicestershire CCC made positive progress against Derbyshire CCC on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship game at the Fischer County Ground.
The Foxes recorded two batting points in posting 267 for 5 after 71 overs with Michael Carberry (45), Ned Eckersley (40*) and Neil Dexter (22*) also making useful contributions.
After the first two days of the game were abandoned without a ball bowled, Umpires Jeff Evans and Michael Gough conducted regular inspections, and fantastic work by the groundstaff allowed play to get underway at 1.45pm.
Conditions did not initially look encouraging for drying but a strong breeze soon whipped around the Fischer County Ground to go with the constant mopping up operation.
There was an uncontested toss given the overcast conditions and Leicestershire CCC showed three changes to the side that drew against Sussex CCC.
India international Varun Aaron was handed his debut and Ned Eckersley and Dieter Klein also came in; the trio replaced Muhammad Abbas, now on Pakistan duty, Ateeq Javid and Callum Parkinson. Derbyshire CCC brought Will Davis in for Tony Palladino.
With an extra half an hour of play available today, there were 71 overs to be bowled with tea scheduled for 4pm. With the floodlights on and the sky incredibly grey, it is fair to say that Leicestershire CCC openers Carberry and Horton were not blessed with ideal batting conditions.
The pair did not let it affect them and started positively. Both batsmen looked in good touch, driving anything overpitched through the covers while Carberry emphatically pulled anything bowled short to him.
Initially, Horton was the more aggressive, hitting three boundaries in the first 20 deliveries he faced. The seventh over saw Carberry overtake his colleague; taking 18 off Ravi Rampaul as three classic Carberry pull shots yielded a brace of fours and a maximum, and a glorious cover drive also raced to the fence.
The run rate stayed over 4.5 throughout their 94-run partnership. The first wicket fell at the end of the 17th over; Carberry had struck the left arm seam of Luis Reece for three boundaries in the first five deliveries but the sixth ball ended in the safe hands of Wayne Madsen at first slip.
Horton reached a fluent half-century (8x4, 69b) with the landmark coming courtesy of a beautiful drive down the ground. Ackermann joined Horton and immediately continued his good form. He raced to 30 by tea and with Horton on 65, Leicestershire CCC were well set at 148 for 1 after 34 overs.
County continued to be positive, Ackermann pulling Reece for a comprehensive six. The number three batsman lost Horton (66) as Madsen took a catch at slip off Reece in a carbon copy of the first wicket. Mark Cosgrove joined Ackermann at the crease and made 11 before pulling Reece to Ben Slater at mid-wicket.
Ackermann was not to be stopped, and after his wonderful 186 last week, he reached a half-century from 67 balls (6x4, 1x6). Ackermann was particularly brutal to anything short, pulling with great aplomb.
Eckersley was making his first appearance of the season and it was like he had never been away. Ackermann was the next wicket to fall after County had recorded their first batting point, bowled by Matt Critchley for a well-made 65. Lewis Hill (3) then edged a good away-swinger from Davis and ‘keeper Gary Wilson completed the dismissal.
Paceman Davis and leg-spinner Critchley made life difficult for Eckersley and new batsman Neil Dexter but they came through it and guided County to a second batting point before stumps.
TEAM | Carberry (capt), Horton, Ackermann, Cosgrove, Eckersley (wk), Dexter, Hill, Raine, Aaron, Griffiths, Klein.
PHOTO | Thanks to John Mallett for the photo of Paul Horton batting.
* Admission to the fourth day's play against Derbyshire CCC costs £12 for adults and £2 for under 16s. You can also follow the Foxes at the Fischer County Ground throughout the 2018 season by becoming a Member of the club. For further details on the advantages of joining us, please follow the link HERE
