Rain Curtails Foxes' Pre-Season Opener as Budinger and Hill Shine

Rain brought a premature end to Leicestershire’s first pre-season fixture of 2023, as day two at Wantage Road ended in a washout.

No play was possible on Tuesday due to heavy morning rainfall in Northampton, but the fixture still provided valuable time in the middle for the Foxes’ batsmen and bowlers to dust off the winter cobwebs.

Day one saw Sol Budinger and Club captain Lewis Hill tally half-centuries, while the bowling unit shared the wickets in Northants’ reply.

New-boy Budinger raced to 69 off just 59 deliveries (7x4, 4x6), getting off the mark with a huge pull for six off Ben Sanderson. Rishi Patel (6) and Sam Evans (14) fell before Hill came to the crease, with the skipper looking in confident touch ahead of next week’s season opener at Yorkshire.

Hill reached his fifty off 101 balls (5x4), while Louis Kimber ended on 35 not out during a stand of 75 for the fourth wicket. With rain anticipated for the second day, Leicestershire declared on 181/4 from 44.2 overs.

With ball in hand, Chris Wright and Michael Finan opened up. A tight start was rewarded when Wright swung a beauty back in to leave Ricardo Vasconcelos dumbfounded, and two of his stumps rocking.

Recent Academy graduate Josh Hull, who signed professional terms this winter, struck fourth ball to trap home ‘keeper Lewis McManus leg-before. Northants 25/2 after 11.3 overs.

Batting conditions became slightly kinder as the ball softened, with former Fox Hassan Azad (66*) and captain Luke Procter (47*) retiring out after a stand of 84.

Will Davis later dismissed James Sales, caught behind by Hill for nine, before new signing Matt Salisbury picked up his maiden Foxes scalp, seeing Gareth Berg (5) caught by Wright at mid on.

Northants ended proceedings on 189/4 after 50 overs, before the weather denied further play the following day. Attention now turns to Thursday’s two-day clash with Nottinghamshire.

A full scorecard can be viewed HERE.