Seamers inspire County to win

Leicestershire versus Glamorgan, Specsavers County Championship, Day 3:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE

INTERVIEW | Captain Mark Cosgrove spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at the end of the game, the interview is available HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the win are available HERE

REPORT | Leicestershire took the final six Glamorgan wickets for just ten runs to pull off a magnificent 26-run victory in the final Specsavers County Championship game of the season.

The visitors resumed at 11-1 in pursuit of 181 to win and were on course at 136-4 at lunch on the third day.

Clint McKay (15-4-42-3) and Charlie Shreck (11.3-0-33-4) then took three wickets apiece in a dramatic finale, Will Bragg the last man out after holding Glamorgan together with a fine 65.

County’s 19-point haul ensured the team ended with four wins and 182 points, the best season’s return on both fronts since the 2010 season.

Leicestershire needed to take early wickets and Dieter Klein (7-0-46-3) produced exactly what the doctor ordered.

Having already taken the wicket of Nick Selman in the fifth over during the evening session on day two, he proceeded to take two very important wickets for the Foxes. 

Firstly captain Jacques Rudolph went cheaply for 15, Horton with the safe pair of hands at first slip. Following that, nightwatchman Owen Morgan (9) lost his middle stump, leaving Glamorgan in a bit of a rut at 36-3. 

Bragg batted well after surviving a scare from his very first ball, albeit a very tricky chance that went quickly to Horton's right at first slip. Horton got a hand to the ball but it ran away for four.

To the visitors' credit, they dug deep and managed to put together a key partnership with both Bragg and Aneurin Donald (23) going along nicely, taking Glamorgan to 89-3. 

Mark Cosgrove’s bowler rotation did the trick and it was seamer Shreck who took the wicket of youngster Donald for 23, comfortably caught at second slip by Angus Robson.

Leicestershire continued to battle hard and had a couple of lbw shouts turned down as the session wore on. 

Bragg looked strong on the drive and also clipped away anything on his pads on reaching a half-century off 72 balls (7x4). With Kiran Carlson unbeaten on 22 and Bragg on 57 not out, Glamorgan ended the morning session on the up needing just 45 runs to win.

They had put themselves in a strong position but McKay and Shreck, who have been outstanding all season, still had plenty in the tank. 

McKay struck twice in as many balls with the score at 144, trapping Carlson (22) and Craig Meschede (0) in front, and Shreck then claimed two wickets in the next over.

Mark Wallace (0) was caught behind off his first ball before Shreck pinned Timm van der Gugten (0) in front, meaning Glamorgan had now lost four wickets for the addition of a Bragg single in the space of seven deliveries.

Leicestershire’s tails were up and Bragg was now in a tricky situation with 36 runs still required and only Glamorgan's last two batsmen for company at the crease.

Michael Hogan (1) had hung around in the first innings but departed after facing five balls this time around, edging an attempted drive off McKay through to Ned Eckersley.

Bragg had little choice now but to give it the long handle and was the last man out, lofting a drive off Shreck towards home debutant Harry Dearden. The youngster took a nerveless catch running in from deep extra cover. to spark big celebrations in the middle.

It was Leicestershire’s fourth victory of the season and their first success at the Fischer County Ground, a fitting way to say thank you and farewell to Elite Performance Director Andrew McDonald, who will now return to Australia.