Running Foxes topple the table-toppers in three days

DAY THREE | Leicestershire CCC 451 v Gloucestershire CCC 158 & 200

POINTS | Leicestershire 23, Gloucestershire 2

SCORECARD | Available HERE

REPORT | Callum Parkinson claims his second career 10-fer as Leicestershire emphatically beat the league leaders.

Colin Ackermann posts career-best bowling figures in first-class cricket as the Running Foxes make it back-to-back victories this season.

Day three got underway under glorious sunshine at the Uptonsteel County Ground with the Running Foxes setting their sights on their first win inside three days for the best part of three years.

County got off to the perfect start, as Callum Parkinson finished off his third over after claiming the wicket of Chris Dent and bringing day two to a close with his fifth ball of the over yesterday.

Chris Wright accompanied Parkinson running up the hill from the Pavilion End as captain Colin Ackermann opted for a spin-seam partnership to open the day.

Leicestershire soon reaped their rewards as Wright got the wickets underway early in the morning with the wicket of Gloucestershire’s danger-man of the first innings, Miles Hammond.

Hammond was dismissed for eight after Hassan Azad took the grab at first slip, at the second time of asking, after the batsman nicked one through.

Two overs later, and Wright had his second of the day.

This time, the Leicestershire man found the edge of the new batsman at the crease, Tom Lace (5), as Harry Swindells took the simple pouch behind.

Gloucestershire were now 23 for three with just seven third-day overs bowled.

The fourth wicket partnership of Glenn Phillips and Ian Cockbain lasted only 20 minutes putting on a stand of 6 between them before County had their third of the day.

Callum Parkinson added to his six wickets in the fixture already as he pinned Phillips infront for 8, with Gloucestershire on 29 for four.

Ryan Higgins joined Cockbain (2*) in the middle.

Higgins (0) though, was just two balls away from recording a pair as he looked to slog Parkinson through the leg-side. Lewis Hill at mid-wicket watch the slog-sweep very carefully whilst back-pedalling to take the grab.

Cockbain and Jonathan Tattersall came together to form the sixth wicket partnership with Gloucestershire on 31 for five and managed to steady the ship following an early top-order collapse.

The duo brought up the visitors’ fifty, coming inside 24 overs and continued to carefully chip away at the deficit.

Lunch then came with the duo standing firm in the middle having seen out the remaining 17 overs of the first session, with Gloucestershire on 90 for five.

The afternoon session got underway and the 100 was soon up for the visitors as Tattersall turned Ed Barnes’ delivery into the leg side for a quick single.

The batsmen then brought up their respective fifties within four balls of one another with Cockbain being the first of the two to reach the milsetone.

He brought his fifty up in 111 balls and included six fours, with Tattersall posting his within 104 balls including seven fours.

The partnership was soon ended though, following a tough spell for the County attack, as Parkinson claimed his ninth of the game.

Tattersall (51) was the man go as he nicked one through to Ackermann at first slip who gratefully accepted the grab. A stubborn partnership was up with Leicestershire seeking out the breakthrough in the afternoon session.

Gloucestershire were 150 for six as Tom Smith joined Cockbain (54*) in the middle.

It wasn’t long before Parkinson completed his 10-fer with the big wicket of Cockbain for 59.

The vice-captain and captain linked up once again to remove the batsman at the crease, as Ackermann caught the outside edge low to his right.

A crucial wicket in the landscape of the day saw Gloucestershire with two new batsmen in the middle, sitting on 155 for seven.

Colin Ackermann having helped Parkinson to two big wickets in this afternoon session chipped in with a wicket of his own.

The skipper enticed David Payne into playing the shot, nipped through the gate and crashed against the batman’s stumps to see him off for four.

Ackermann quickly claimed another for himself, making it five for the game as he pinned Tom Smith infront for 5.

Gloucestershire were now down to their final wicket of the game, sitting on 165 for nine, trailing County by 128.

The skipper then claimed his third successive wicket and confirmed and emphatic victory for Leicestershire, after bowling Josh Shaw for 19.

County made it-back-to-back victories in the 2021 LV= County Championship after defeating table-topping Gloucestershire by an innings and 93 runs.  

FIGURES (2nd inns) | Parkinson 32-12-63-5, Ackermann 13-5-44-3, Wright 13-4-36-2, Mike 7-0-27-0, Barnes 5-0-20-0

TEAM | Hassan Azad, Sam Evans, Marcus Harris, Colin Ackermann (C), Lewis Hill, Harry Swindells (wk), Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, Chris Wright, Ed Barnes, Will Davis.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC | Chris Dent (C), Miles Hammond, Glenn Phillips, Tom Lace, Ian Cockbain, Ryan Higgins, Jonathan Tattersall, Tom Smith, David Payne, Josh Shaw, Daniel Worrall

IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.

MATCH SPONSOR | Thanks to CWA for being our match sponsor.