Pre-season Diary 2016 - Part 4

Leicestershire CCC players, coaches and backroom staff are back from Dubai after their 2016 pre-season tour and games are now being played in the UK. We'll keep you updated with the latest from pre-season, and the fourth part of the diary is available here: 

Wednesday, March 30

Following the cancellation of the two-day game at Derbyshire and with a good forecast in the East Midlands today, Leicestershire travelled to Trent Bridge for a friendly.

The game was played as 50 overs per side but with white kit and a red ball under four-day regulations, with emphasis on players having time in the middle rather than on a result.

Nottinghamshire batted first and at lunch, which was taken after 35 overs, progressed to 164-1. The hosts went on to score 238-2.

Young seamers Jake Ball and Brett Hutton then claimed three wickets apiece before Leicestershire recovered to post 163-6 thanks to an excellent unbroken stand of 115 from international duo Niall O’Brien and Rob Taylor.

Number three O’Brien found the ropes on eleven occasions as he posted 69 not out while Taylor made an unbeaten 64 off 101 deliveries, hitting twelve boundaries along the way.

Leicestershire (13 players named): Horton (c), Hill, O'Brien (w/k), Ali, White, Raine, Wells, Taylor, Naik, Sykes, Freckingham, Shreck, Sheikh.

Thursday, March 31

Leicestershire again made the short trip up the M1 to take on Nottinghamshire, this time to start a two-day fixture.

The match was played to four-day regulations like yesterday’s 50-over match but the format was slightly different. Leicestershire had 60 overs to bat today in two sessions of play while Nottinghamshire batted for the final session and will have the first 60 overs tomorrow.

Aadil Ali made a wonderful unbeaten 106 as Leicestershire scored 259-5 from their allocation of overs. Niall O’Brien made a second successive half-century and Ben Raine chipped in with 42 not out.

Ali and O’Brien came together with the score on 50-3 after Paul Horton (6), Lewis Hill (5) and Mark Pettini (16) fell to Luke Wood, Harry Gurney and Will Gidman respectively.

Wicket-keeper O’Brien (50) and Ali then added 97 for the fourth wicket in a highly entertaining partnership. After the Ireland international departed to Gurney the ball after he reached fifty, Wayne White scored 13 before dragging a delivery from Samit Patel on to his stumps.

Raine was aggressive and helped Ali share an unbroken 91 for the sixth wicket. The youngster moved to his landmark off 152 balls with 16 fours and a maximum.

Nottinghamshire progressed to 116 without loss from their 30 overs in reply with Chris Read unbeaten on 69 and Jake Libby 46 not out.

Leics (12 players travelled): Horton (c), Hill, Pettini, Ali, O’Brien (w/k), White, Raine, Wells, Taylor, Naik, Sykes, Shreck.

Friday, April 1

A cooler, overcast day greeted the players today as Nottinghamshire made their way to the middle for 60 overs of batting.

The home side's score moved to 79-1 after 28 overs at lunch with Greg Smith the man to fall for 40, caught behind by Lewis Hill off Wayne White.

James Taylor extended his score to 44 in the afternoon session before retiring and Michael Lumb made 52 before calling time on his innings.

Off-spinner Jigar Naik then shone with four wickets for Leicestershire, dismissing Brett Hutton (4), Luke Wood (0), Samit Patel (29) and Jake Ball (17) as the session wore on. Will Gidman ended unbeaten on 34 for the hosts.

Bowling figures: Raine 15-2-47-0, Wells 10-1-42-0, White 12-2-35-1, Shreck 12-3-51-0, Naik 11-2-77-4.

Leicestershire’s opening batsmen Paul Horton and Tom Wells impressed greatly in the final session as the team scored 141-1 from their 30 overs.

Wells was first to register his half-century from 62 deliveries and he went on to make 76 before being trapped lbw by spinner Matt Carter.

Leicestershire were 135-1 at that point with Horton (55 not out) also having passed fifty and Rob Taylor was 4 not out when the innings came to its conclusion.

The cricket played this week has been a good workout for both sides and we thank Nottinghamshire CCC for their kind hospitality over the last three days.

Leicestershire (13 players travelled): Horton (c), Wells, Taylor, Hill (w/k), O’Brien, Ali, White, Raine, Sayer, Naik, Sykes, Shreck, Freckingham.