Raine: "The whole team bowled well"

Audio interviews are available here with Ben Raine and debutant Andrea Agathangelou, courtesy of BBC Radio Leicester’s Richard Rae. Thanks to Paul Hiscock from the Press Association for his work today too.

Leicestershire bowler Ben Raine moved to 21 LV=CC wickets for the season by picking up a career-best 5-48 against Essex today.

The 23-year-old has not always had the greatest of fortune this season but this was Raine’s day, with his movement and bounce causing the home side’s strong batting line-up all sorts of problems.

With Clint McKay and Charlie Shreck each having 22 victims to their name, Leicestershire’s seam trio have had a strong start to the season with all three being in the top ten wicket-takers in the division.

He said: “I haven’t had many 5-fors in my life to be honest coming from a batting background. So it’s nice to get my first one for Leicestershire and I hope that it’s the first of many.

“I’d roll that pitch up and take it with me everywhere I went if I could. This morning, the constant drizzle kept that bit of life in it although in the afternoon, it got a bit better to bat on.

“It was a very good performance from all of the bowlers. Sometimes you don’t get the wickets that you deserve as an individual but if you look at the work that the unit does, it works out.

“I was the one to get the wickets today but next time it will be Shrecky (Charlie Shreck) or Clint McKay. There’s a good feeling around the bowling unit at the minute.”

Essex Head Coach Paul Grayson said:  “It was certainly a good toss to win and we would have bowled first had we had the opportunity. Credit to Raine, he used the conditions well.”