Ronchi hits Foxes' fastest 50 but Jets edge home
Fri 28 Jul 2017
NatWest T20 Blast Matchday 7: Leicestershire Foxes v Durham Jets
RESULT | Durham Jets (2 points) beat Leicestershire Foxes by six wickets
REACTION | Luke Ronchi spoke to us after the match, the interview is available HERE
REPORT | Luke Ronchi hit Leicestershire Foxes' fastest NatWest T20 Blast fifty but it was not enough to prevent Durham Jets from winning a contest that was reduced to seven overs at the Fischer County Ground.
Rain frustrated everybody for most of the evening; however, it relented long enough to allow a start at 8.45pm. All credit should go to Leicestershire’s groundstaff and umpires Jeremy Lloyds and Russell Warren for their efforts in ensuring the crowd had a game to see.
When a predictably breathless affair did begin, the FCG faithful was treated to an astonishing innings from overseas star Ronchi, who posted 63 not out off 21 balls. Thirteen of those deliveries went for either four or six.
His 50 came off just 16 deliveries, knocking five balls off Josh Cobb’s previous record - also posted against the Jets - as the Foxes put an imposing 88 for 2 on the board.
However, it did not prove to be enough runs as Paul Coughlin led his team home by scoring 38 not out off just 18 balls. The skipper shared 76 off 33 balls with Paul Collingwood (34 off 18) in what proved to be a match-winning third wicket partnership.
After several rain delays on an evening that had more of an October feel than late July the match was reduced to 14 overs in total. There were two changes to the Foxes side as Aadil Ali and Dieter Klein came in for captain Clint McKay, who was ruled out through injury, and Mark Pettini.
Colin Ackermann won the toss and elected to bat, and Ronchi caressed the first ball for four through mid-on to set the tone. Cameron Delport also clattered a boundary down the ground in Chris Rushworth's opener.
A total of 26 came from the second over as Ronchi smoked over square-leg for a six and followed it up with five consecutive fours to third man, mid-wicket, cover, mid-off and backward square-leg.
Only six singles came from Collingwood's first over but Ronchi clattered Coughlin's opening ball for a straight maximum before adding three more fours to move to an astonishing landmark (16 balls, 9x4, 2x6).
Although Delport (7 off 6) holed out to deep mid-wicket, 20 runs came off the fourth over with the Foxes' openers having shared 62.
Tom Wells was promoted to bat at three and he smashed a six over mid-off in Collingwood's second over while Ronchi also pulled over short fine-leg to collect his tenth four.
There was only one run off Barry McCarthy's one and only over and Coughlin then hit the leg stump of Wells (12 off 13) in the final over as the Jets looked to be finishing well.
But Ronchi somehow game himself enough space to carve the final ball of the innings over third man for six. It was an incredible way to end a knock that witnessed 10 fours and three sixes.
Klein bowled Cameron Steel (4 off 4) as nine came off the opening over and Mat Pillans then had Graham Clark (4 off 3) caught by Wells at mid-on. Coughlin smoked his first ball for six but the Jets were limited to 18 for 2 off their two-over powerplay.
A brace of fours came off Callum Parkinson's first over as Coughlin and Collingwood hit through mid-on and mid-off respectively but the Jets needed 59 off 24 balls by the end of it.
Collingwood drove two sixes over mid-off at the start of the fourth from Gavin Griffiths - the first of which just beat the fielder's attempt on the boundary - but only three came off the next four deliveries as the seamer bowled beautifully.
Coughlin skied Delport's second ball high into the night sky but Griffiths couldn't quite get underneath a diving effort running towards umpire Lloyds at square-leg, and Collingwood then lapped the final ball of the fifth over for four to leave a target of 32 off 12 balls.
The complexion changed as 24 came from the penultimate over. A no-ball from Pillans was struck for six to mid-wicket by Coughlin to reduce the target to 22 off 11 deliveries. Another no-ball took it down to 16 off 9, and a Collingwood straight drive off the fifth delivery beat the fielder's effort at mid-off and went for a maximum.
Durham now required eight to win in the last over and after a single, Coughlin sent the second ball of the last over away for four through backward point, putting his side firmly in the ascendency.
But to add to the drama of a high-octane clash, Collingwood was run out by a Ronchi direct hit and Jack Burnham was also run out off the next delivery after hitting back to Griffiths. The duo had failed to scamper singles - so three runs were still required off the last two balls.
Crucially, though, Coughlin had regained the strike and the all-rounder edged over short third man for four to steer his side home with a ball to spare. It was hard luck on Griffiths - and a remarkable way for the Jets to collect their first NatWest T20 Blast win of the campaign.
Leicestershire are on eight points at the halfway stage and the next NatWest T20 Blast game is against Derbyshire Falcons at the 3aaa County Ground on Sunday (2.30pm start).
Bowling figures for Leicestershire: Klein 1-0-9-1, Pillans 2-0-30-1, Parkinson 1-0-12-0, Griffiths 1.5-0-24-0, Delport 1-0-12-0.
TEAM | Ronchi (wk), Delport, Wells, Cosgrove, Ackermann (capt), Aadil, Hill, Pillans, Parkinson, Klein, Griffiths.
* Thanks to Ed Melia for the photo of Luke Ronchi batting this evening.
