Sayer and Chappell get Seconds back on track
Tue 19 Jul 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
Leicestershire today met MCC Universities to start a SEC at Desborough Town CC. Desborough is somewhat of a ‘Boomerang’ venue for our Second XI, as we are going away, and coming back very quickly.
The honours for the day being just about even, Leicestershire being dismissed for 317, and MCC Universities finishing the day on 92-3. Superb innings by Zak Chappell and Rob Sayer rallied the County innings when they were on the ropes at 112-5, their 6th wicket partnership the pair helped put County in a more comfortable position.
Very quick and hostile bowling from Atif Sheikh and debutant Dieter Klein late in the day provided an early breakthrough into the MCC Universities innings.
The coach in charge of MCC Universities is Clive Radley ex Middlesex and England. Clive is getting on in years, but is still very spritely. He has taken delivery of his Bus Pass, and his free TV licence is just around the corner. He was a good gnarled old pro in his day.
A scorching hot day greeted us at Desborough, the hottest day of the summer so far. The boundary was sparsely populated by some 20 or so spectators, who took refuge from the hot sun in the shade of the abundance of hedges around the perimeter of the ground.
The Scorebox was a haven, in that the state of the art air conditioning (leaving the door open) created a lovely cooling breeze that my colleague Quentin, and I could revel in. Quentin, who prefers to be called Q, made me think of James Bond. One JKH Naik Esq certainly took the role of Miss Moneypenny, in sorting out a problem with my printer. He is due for a good word as a result of his technical expertise.
Tom Wells was skippering County, and his players were delighted that his opposite number Alex Lilley called incorrectly and County elected to bat. Wells and Aadil Ali opened up for County, and Lilley was certainly in the pink when he sent back Wells (10) offering no shot, and being adjudged lbw.
Lewis Hill (12) soon followed, getting underneath a ball from left arm seamer Grundy, and offering a catch to Semhi at point.
Ali was building an innings slowly, and found a good foil in Rob Taylor. Ali had made 41 from 102 balls, when he drove at spinner McIver uppishly, and was caught at mid-off by Grundy. Taylor (25) was caught at short leg by Mo Asad off Andrew Westphal in the last over before lunch. County went into lunch on 106-4 from 33.3 overs.
There was a further wicket in the second over after lunch when Michael Burgess went back to a delivery from McIver and was trapped lbw. County in trouble at 112-5. Then followed a sparkling partnership between Chappell and Sayer, who again went close to a century following an innings of 94 not out at Yorkshire.
Both batted very responsibly and recognising the plight of the situation. Chappell was initially the hare, and Sayer the tortoise. Sayer took 23 balls to get off the mark whilst Chappell was keeping the scoreboard ticking over healthily.
The pair added 50 in 83 balls, Sayer’s contribution being 16, and Chappell’s 32. Chappell went to his 50 (6x4/1x6) from 70 balls with the score on 201-5 from 57.2 overs. Then the 100 partnership came up from 143 balls.
Sayer went to his 50 from 89 balls (9x4/1x6) with the score on 244-5 from 63.6 overs. The 150 partnership came up from 213 balls. Chappell eventually went in the penultimate over before tea, caught and bowled by spinner Alex Thomson for a very accomplished 84. Chappell demonstrated a fine array of shots, and his driving could be mentioned in the same breath as Lewis Hamilton.
County went into tea on 266-6 from 72 overs, Sayer 61* Naik 0*. After tea, Naik gave a splendid cameo scoring 23, and the word up is that it was from 20 balls. Ollie Freckingham (0) went lbw second ball to a ‘Jam’ delivery as it went underground.
Dieter Klein (3) went caught and bowled by McIver, giving the young spinner a degree of success with a five-for, Sayer finished undefeated on 85. A patient and solid knock that included more strokes than you will see in the Boat Race.
County being all out, in effect, for 317 with Sheikh was nominated as the non batter, as another player will be joining the team at Desborough tomorrow. MCC Universities had 20 overs to negotiate and got off to the worst possible start when Sheikh clean bowled Steve Bullen with the first ball of the innings. Bullen being beaten by the sheer pace of Sheikh.
Sheikh was bowling a testing spell, clattering one in to the helmet of Mo Asad into the bargain. At the other end debutant Klein was also bowling very rapidly. He had Norris (11) expertly caught down the leg side by keeper Burgess, and then trapped Charlie Lowen (0) lbw.
Mo Asad (49*) and basil Akram (28*) recovered the situation for MCC Universities, and took them into stumps on 92-3. Lewis Hill was unable to take the field as he had to leave the ground earlier for emergency dental treatment.
Coach Nic Pothas rolled back the years, and fielded for the 20 overs, patrolling the covers and sitting under the helmet at short leg. Those 20 overs amounted to the longest time I have ever seen Nic at a cricket ground without a telephone to his ear. At close of play MCC Universities trail by 225 runs. Leicestershire 5 points, MCC Universities 4 points.
