Runs continue to flow at Hinckley
Tue 7 Jun 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
We were again greeted by bright sunshine upon arrival at the Leicester Road ground of Hinckley Town/CCA for day two of the Second XI Championship encounter between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.
The only cloud on the horizon was the prospect of Jamie Vardy deciding to opt for a possible transfer to Arsenal. I was going to be looking nervously through my fingers at all text messages received during the day. The scorebox was again full to capacity, with our canine friend again making full use of the accommodation.
County bounced back admirably from their day in the field on day 1, to post a very respectable score, and set up the chance of a last day run chase.
Leicestershire commenced their first innings in glorious weather, replying to Nottinghamshire’s total of 397. The County openers were Harry Dearden and Will Wright and the pair built a solid opening partnership, with Wright facing the majority of the bowling, but with Dearden scoring the majority of the runs.
Early in his innings Dearden pulled paceman Ben Kitt for a delightful maximum behind square. After half an hour’s play the sun had given way to sticky, humid conditions. Dearden, ‘The Battling Bury Bulldog’ went to his half century (6x4/1x6/72 balls), the score being 82-0 from 28.3 overs.
The opening pair had added 98 for the first wicket from 31 overs, and were within 20 minutes of lunch, when Wright (29) went caught behind by keeper Tom Moores off the bowling of spinner Matt Carter. This was the first ball he faced after changing his batting gloves. Wright effectively but unceremoniously goes about his work, and faced 112 balls in a very solid knock.
Ned Eckersley joined Dearden, and the pair took County safely into lunch on 115-1 from 38 overs, Dearden 60* and Eckersley 9*. Prior to lunch Carter had bowled a very parsimonious spell of 14-6-23-1.
County dominated the afternoon session, in which spinner Carter bowled unchanged from the Football Stand End for all but the penultimate over of the session.
Dearden (70) had made an attritional and workmanlike innings, when he was caught one handed at first slip by Carter off the bowling of Kitt, leaving County on 142-2. Shortly afterwards Eckersley (23 from 63 balls) tried to pull a short ball from Kitt and was caught behind by ‘keeper Moores, County on 147-3. Eckersley looked very comfortable during his stay at the crease.
Then followed a superb partnership of 143 between Aadil Ali and Irfan Karim, very steady before tea and blistering afterwards.
To digress from the on-field action, midway through the afternoon session Ned Eckersley entered the scorebox, with the intention of taking the faithful hound in our company for a walk. Ned dutifully carried the dog down the stairs but the morose mammal refused to accompany him around the outfield, and Ned dutifully carried the dog back up the stairs. So much for Ned ‘the dog whisperer’ Eckersley.
Back to the cricket, Karim brought up his half-century (4x4/94 balls), just before tea, and County went in on 245-3 from 82 overs, Ali 48* and Karim 51*. Carter, who had been parsimonious before lunch, was treated greedily by Ali and Karim in mid-afternoon.
Karim, who has recently graduated from Loughborough University, was making his Leicestershire Second XI debut. For any ‘cricket buffs’ reading this he is the son of Aasif Karim who has played international cricket for Kenya. A little known fact that may have slipped under your radar.
In the first 3.3 overs after tea, just after the new ball had been taken, Ali and Karin added 45 runs in 3.3 overs. Ali, never one to dilly dally, smacked two fours off Kitt and two huge maximums off Blatherwick. Meanwhile Karim found the ropes twice off Blatherwick and once off Kitt.
Graham, who operates the manual scoreboard at Hinckley, is accustomed to a sedentary post tea session, in order to let the culinary delights that have been at his disposal make a smooth transition into his digestive system.
However he was rattling around the scorebox like a whirling dervish trying to keep up with Ali and Karim. His actions somewhat akin to those monkeys you see swinging from tree to tree in wildlife programmes.
Ali went to his 50 (7x4/1x6/106 balls) at the same time as the 100 partnership came up (10x4/1x6/202 balls). Ali (76) departed caught behind off Blatherwick, and Karim (68) followed by the same mode of dismissal.
It was good to see Zak Chappell (22*) return to competitive action, and he added an unbroken stand of 47 with Rob Sayer (21*) for the sixth wicket. In 10 overs after tea County added 95 runs, and declared on 340-5, 57 runs behind Nottinghamshire.
Nottinghamshire had a minimum of 10 overs to bat, and took their score to 35-0 from 14 overs bowled. Nottinghamshire going into the final day leading by 92 runs. Leicestershire 8 points, Nottinghamshire 6 points.
