Pre-season Diary 2016 - Part 3

Leicestershire CCC players, coaches and backroom staff are currently in Dubai for their 2016 pre-season tour and games are also underway in the UK. The players are being put through their paces in the nets and in a series of fixtures. We'll keep you updated with the latest from pre-season, and the third part of the diary is available here: 

Tuesday, March 22

Leicestershire CCC were involved in two pre-season games today, both played with a red ball in slightly different formats.

A two-day game got underway against a Yorkshire XI at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium and a 45-over fixture versus Oxford MCCU was played in The Parks.

The match against a Yorkshire XI has been split into four innings, with one side batting for 60 overs and the other side having 30 overs at the wicket on each day. Tom Wells and James Sykes guested for Yorkshire XI.

Today was the Yorkshire XI’s turn to bat for the majority of the day and they scored 205-2 from their allocation of overs with Wells top-scoring with an excellent 105. The wicket-takers for Leicestershire were Charlie Shreck (15-2-51-1) and Jigar Naik (13-0-43-1).

County had captain Paul Horton (33) and Lewis Hill (29*) top-scoring in a total of 107-3. Aadil Ali (19*) was also unbeaten when the day came to its conclusion with Sykes returning figures of 5-0-16-0.

Leicestershire batsmen: Horton (33), Robson (2), Hill (30*), Pettini (14), Ali (19*)

Leicestershire bowlers: Raine (12-2-28-0), Shreck (15-2-51-1), White (12-0-31-0), Naik (13-0-43-1), Sayer (8-0-44-0)

Leicestershire side: Horton, Robson, Hill, Pettini, Ali, White, Chappell, Raine, Sayer, Naik, Shreck (Wells & Sykes guested for Yorkshire XI)

In the match at The Parks, Leicestershire CCC Academy duo Dave Sayer and Sam Evans were in excellent form and Adam Tillcock also had a fine game in an eight-wicket success.

Oxford MCCU won the toss and elected to bat and there was a perfect start for Leicestershire. Atif Sheikh (4-0-11-1) took a wicket with the first ball of the season, removing opener Steve Leach courtesy of a catch at second slip.

The home side went on to score 185 all out and Dave Sayer was the leading wicket-taker for Leicestershire. The left arm seamer, brother of Foxes spinner Rob, claimed 4-20 while Liam Hurt (5-0-15-2) picked up a brace of victims.

Ollie Freckingham (5-0-21-1) and Tillcock (9-0-44-1) also took a wicket apiece while Sayer and Gurjit Sandhu combined to complete a run out. Malcolm Lake top-scored for Oxford MCCU with a well-constructed 57.

Leicestershire lost opener Harry Dearman (8) before Evans and Tillcock both reached their half-centuries as the innings developed.

Opener Evans was eventually dismissed for an excellent 78 while Tillcock ended unbeaten on 64 and Rob Taylor made a quickfire 23 not out as Leicestershire reached their target.

Leicestershire: Dearden, Evans, Tillcock, Taylor, Cammish, Swindells, Freckingham, D Sayer, Sandhu, Hurt, Sheikh.

Wednesday, March 23

It was Leicestershire's turn to bat for the majority of proceedings on the second day of the game against a Yorkshire XI and there were strong performances from Angus Robson and Aadil Ali.

Opener Robson, who has been so consistent for Leicestershire over the last two seasons, made exactly 100 while Ali (59) also batted nicely in posting a half-century.

Both batsmen retired in a score of 227-8 declared from 59.4 overs, while Sykes (15-2-57-0) and Wells (9-2-27-1) got some valuable overs under their belts.

Leicestershire went on to take five wickets in the 28.4 overs they bowled. Rob Sayer led the way with 3-33 from 8.4 overs and there were also wickets for seam duo Charlie Shreck (6-3-14-1) and Wayne White (6-2-18-1).

The two days were extremely good red ball practice and thanks to Yorkshire for playing the game alongside their Champion County fixture against the MCC.

Leicestershire: Horton, Robson, Hill, Pettini, Ali, White, Chappell, Raine, Sayer, Naik, Shreck (Wells & Sykes guested for Yorkshire XI)

Thursday, March 24

With the forecast predicting a deterioration in weather as the day went on, Leicestershire and Oxford MCCU agreed on a 40-over game before play got underway.

There was one change to the Leicestershire side that played on Tuesday as Yuvraj Odedra came in for Dave Sayer.

Leicestershire batted first in The Parks this time around and Kent seamer Sam Weller claimed the early wickets of Tuesday’s half-centurions Sam Evans (4) and Adam Tillcock (9).

Opener Harry Dearden (29*) and Rob Taylor (26*) took the score to 76-2 off 15 overs when rain stopped play. The weather got worse and the players were unable to get back out on the field.

Leicestershire: Dearden, Evans, Tillcock, Taylor, Cammish, Swindells, Freckingham, Odedra, Sandhu, Hurt, Sheikh.

Leicestershire's pre-season game against Derbyshire has been cancelled so the team return to action in a two-day friendly against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Thursday (11am start).