Robson and Eckersley in terrific form

Willow continued to dominate leather on the second day of the LV=CC game between Leicestershire and Glamorgan at Grace Road.

Glamorgan amassed 513-9 declared after Jacques Rudolph and Will Bragg posted centuries on the first day and Leicestershire replied with 202-1 as Angus Robson (82*) and Ned Eckersley (81*) shared a magnificent unbroken 169 for the second wicket.

Leicestershire’s attack showed good character this morning after having to deal with strong winds on day one. They claimed five wickets with Glamorgan adding 127 in an all-action session consisting of 29.3 overs.

The Welsh county resumed on 294-2 and Colin Ingram was soon into his stride in drilling a brace of consecutive boundaries and that prompted County to take the new ball immediately.

Atif Sheikh struck with the second delivery of it by trapping Will Bragg leg before for a career-best 120 as Leicestershire claimed their first bowling point.

Ingram and Cooke were intent to punish anything loose and took the score beyond 350 in a lively stand. A fourth wicket fell as the hardworking Charlie Shreck removed Ingram’s middle stump after he made 38.

Cooke continued to play some fine strokes all over the wicket but Leicestershire kept chipping away. Mark Wallace (10) and Graham Wagg (5) went lbw to Ollie Freckingham and Ben Raine respectively before Cooke (48, 50b) drove uppishly at Freckingham and Eckersley took a smart catch at cover.

County now had two bowling points and Glamorgan registered maximum batting points as Craig Meschede drove through straight mid-wicket for four. Lunch was taken with the score on 421-7 and Meschede and David Lloyd continued to frustrate after the break, taking their stand to 68.

Shreck thought he had Meschede (30) caught behind and then dismissed the batsman in the same manner later that over as a short ball looped off the glove and was taken by O’Brien.

Lloyd twice pulled Shreck bouncers to the fence as he homed in on a maiden first-class 50 but the young batsman lost another partner as Dean Cosker nicked Freckingham to O’Brien. Lloyd then moved to his half-century from 58 balls, collecting eight fours along the way.

Lloyd (59*) and Carter (21*) added 37* for the last wicket with the number 11 following in the footsteps of Bragg and Lloyd in posting a career-best score.  The final pair helped Glamorgan beyond 500, Leicestershire’s cause not being helped by the concession of 61 extras.

The declaration followed and Leicestershire’s bowling figures were as follows: Sheikh 18-1-108-3, Raine 27-6-101-1. Shreck 35-10-138-2, Freckingham 15-3-111-3, Wells 8-2-26-0, Redfern 5-2-13-0, Cosgrove 2-0-4-0.

Dan Redfern raced to 24 off 22 balls before being held by Cooke in the gully off Wagg with Leicestershire 33-1 at that stage. The team moved to 59-1 at tea with Robson and Eckersley looking solid on 25 and 10 respectively.

The duo took their stand past 50 with some attractive strokeplay, Robson looking particularly strong with his trademark cuts and off-drives and also finding time to pull Cosker for a mighty six. Eckersley also looked in good touch, stroking the ball around both sides of the wicket.

Robson moved to 50 from 77 balls (6x4, 1x6) and an uppercut maximum from the opener registered the 100 partnership. Eckersley went on to post a 78-ball 50 with an eighth four that came courtesy of beautiful footwork in punching Cosker through extra.

Eckersley moved beyond Robson’s score at one stage with a couple of successive boundaries that raced through mid-wicket and the pair went on to record the team’s first batting point before stumps. It was a positive way to end a bright day for Leicestershire.