Raine inspires Foxes to thrilling win

RESULT | Day 3 of 4, Specsavers County Championship: Leicestershire CCC 191 and 237 beat Glamorgan CCC 178 and 247 by 3 runs

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo

REACTION | An interview with Ben Raine is available on Foxes TV

HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season

POINTS | Leicestershire CCC 17 points, Glamorgan CCC 2 points

REPORT | Ben Raine played the lead role as Leicestershire CCC beat Glamorgan CCC by three runs on an extraordinary third and final day at the Fischer County Ground.

Raine made a priceless 65 to ensure Leicestershire CCC posted 237 in the second innings, meaning that Glamorgan required a testing 251 to win.

The all-rounder then took four for 44 - including the vital last wicket of Marchant de Lange - as the Welsh County were ultimately dismissed for 247 in what was a fascinating Specsavers County Championship match from start to finish.

Leicestershire CCC looked to have the visitors on the brink at 107 for seven but the match continued to have twists and turns to the last. de Lange struck a career-best 90 off just 45 deliveries before hitting the tireless Raine to Parkinson at long-on to spark celebrations for the Foxes.

The day got off to a difficult start as Colin Ackermann (22) was caught by David Lloyd at slip off Michael Hogan’s bowling having added five to his overnight score.

Another key blow was struck as Mark Cosgrove (33) fell 12 balls later, Hogan delivering a beauty that the left-hander feathered to wicket-keeper Cooke. Ateeq Javid (1) then became Hogan’s third victim of the morning, trapped leg before wicket.

Neil Dexter (4) and Lewis Hill (8) battled for eight overs but were made to work hard, adding nine runs until Dexter edged a Hogan ball through to Cooke.

It brought Raine to the crease and the all-rounder was immediately positive. He drove van der Gugten through the covers for four then deposited him straight back over his head for six. Raine lost Hill as he played onto his stumps trying to cut Timm van der Gugten.

Callum Parkinson joined Raine and dug in while the left-hander continued to play his strokes. Five wides from de Lange saw the lead go up to 200. 

The pair went into lunch having put on 33 and that was extended to 40 before Parkinson (10) edged de Lange to Cooke. Hogan completed his five-for as Griffiths (4) edged to Cooke before Raine reached a valuable half-century from 61 balls (5x4, 2x6). 

Raine and Aaron continued to frustrate the Glamorgan attack, Raine taking most of the strike and scoring the majority of the runs. The last wicket added an important 32 runs; Raine played brilliantly before he was caught in the deep by Aneurin Donald off de Lange for 65. 

Glamorgan CCC’s bowling performance owed a great deal to the efforts of captain Hogan, who bowled for the first two hours of an extended first session and took a superb 5 for 45 from 19 overs today, ending with overall figures of 5 for 61 from 29.

Raine kept momentum going by having Nick Selman (2) caught behind before Griffiths delivered a huge blow, straightening one off the seam to clip the stumps of Australia international Shaun Marsh (0).

Murphy continued to play well at the other end, the left-hander scoring 28 of the 35 that Glamorgan CCC had registered by tea.

He lost another partner as Kiran Carlson (1) tickled a Griffiths delivery down the leg-side with the score at 38 before becoming the fourth wicket as Raine returned to disturb the stumps after Murphy (34) offered no stroke.

Donald (15) played some nice strokes before Aaron produced a beauty to hit the wicket and he followed that up with another straight delivery to pin Lloyd (4) in front.

Glamorgan were now in big trouble at 81 for 6 and although there was a period of calm, Griffiths then trapped Salter (9) lbw.

Cooke (39) and de Lange played some shots in an entertaining 32-run partnership before the former nicked Raine to Hill. 

de Lange continued to hit some lusty blows, including a brace of consecutive sixes to take the stand with van der Gugten past 50. The next delivery saw the batsman collect a single to take the batsman to a superb half-century from just 33 balls (2x4, 4x6)

He lost van der Gugten (22) to the following ball, Parkinson trapping him lbw with 57 runs still required, but struck another quartet of maximums and a couple of fours as another 50+ stand with Hogan (7*) took the target to within one blow.

But Raine held his nerve, having de Lange nicely taken by Parkinson at long-on, to cap off a dramatic day in the best possible style for the Foxes.

TEAM | Carberry (capt), Horton, Ackermann, Cosgrove, Javid, Dexter, Hill (wk), Raine, Parkinson, Griffiths, Aaron. 

FIGURES | 1st innings: Raine 17.2-5-38-2, Aaron 16-3-65-4, Griffiths 10-5-27-2, Dexter 13-3-35-2, Parkinson 2-1-4-0. 

2nd innings: Raine 14.4-4-44-4, Aaron 14-1-66-2, Griffiths 13-6-51-3, Parkinson 10-1-49-1, Dexter 5-0-21-0.

PHOTO | Thanks to Ed Melia for the photo of Ben Raine bowling.

* Leicestershire CCC is next in action at the Fischer County Ground against Pakistan next weekend. Muhammad Abbas – who took four wickets in the test match against Ireland today – could be in action during the game. Admission cost £5 for adults and £1 for under 16s, tickets can be brought HERE