Seconds enjoy Glamorgan victory

REPORT | By Pete Johnson

Scorecard from 3-day friendly, reduced to 2 days

Scorecard from 50-over friendly, played on the third day

Leicestershire Second  XI played their home Second XI friendly fixture with Glamorgan at Desborough Town CC, which is just over the Leicestershire border with Northamptonshire.

It is quite a challenge to find the picturesque ground that is home to Desborough Town CC once you have turned off the main road. The ground is hidden from view, somewhat tucked away, and sits snugly alongside a Farm Park.

It must be in the Northamptonshire equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle. Even the charming, well spoken, unflappable lady on my Sat Nav had a few choice words to say and was on the point of phoning a friend!

The Scorers are domiciled in a Scorebox that is undergoing a complete overhaul, it currently has ‘state of the art’ air conditioning, whereby the chill winds gust at a ferocious rate of knots through the open spaces of the structure, meaning that any paperwork has to be securely tethered down.

My Welsh counterpart and I are sure you would be warmer scoring a game at the North Pole*. *Applies to Day one only.

Play on day one was abandoned for the day at 1.30pm, with Glamorgan, having won the toss, on 35-0 from 14.3 overs. After an early lunch on day two play was again abandoned for the day at 1.30pm after an Inspection by Umpires Steve Garratt and Mansoor Qureshi.

We were greeted on day three by sunny skies with the prospect of a full day's play. As this fixture was a Friendly, it was agreed to abandon the game whereby only 14.3 overs had been bowled and to have a Friendly 50-over per side game.

The crowd were to witness a 50-over game with white clothing and a red ball (collector’s item). Glamorgan won the toss and elected to bat. The County attack made light work of the Glamorgan batting, dismissing them for 170 from 36.3 overs. The top order was blown away by Oliver Freckingham and Dan Worrall.

Freckingham, bowling from the Farm End, accounted for Lawlor (0) who edged behind to Matt Cross, and then he russelled Brand (0) into being caught behind, again by Cross. Worrall, working up a useful pace from the Car Park End bowled the dangerous Wadlon (5), and had Vanderspar (10) caught behind by Cross.

Alex Wyatt then weighed in with 4 wickets but frankly he had to thank Worrall for two superb catches. Glamorgan skipper Ben Wright (42) was superbly caught by Worrall, over his shoulder, between wide mid-on and mid-wicket. Wright found a useful partner in keeper Milton (50 from 67 balls, 8x4). Milton was bowled by Dan Hampton the ball after going to 50.

Wyatt bowled Dean Cosker (0), had Ruaidhri Smith (19), caught at mid wicket, and then Worrall pulled off another great catch, calmly snaffling an enormous skier in the mid wicket area from Will Owen (11) again off Wyatt. Hampton wrapped up the innings trapping Bull (4) in front. An eye-catching performance from Worrall, ably supported by Wyatt, Freckingham and Hampton.

Aadil Ali and Matt Pardoe opened up for County and the pair raced to 50 in the 7^th over. Ali had made 29 when he went caught behind by Milton off Smith. Joe Carter joined Pardoe but the pair had only been together for four overs when Pardoe (27) was run out following a mix up.

Carter put this behind him and shared a solid partnership of 69 with skipper Dan Redfern. Redfern looked in good form but went for 28 caught at mid-on by Wadlan off spinner KA Bull (a good familiarisation for next week’s Second XI game against Afghanistan).

Carter went to 50 (5x4,3x6) from 53 balls. He and Basit Zaman (22*) seeing County home by seven wickets after 29.2 overs. Carter remained unbeaten on 54.

The weather was a most unwelcome intruder for the majority of our three days at Desborough, but we could not leave without passing on sincere thanks to Steve Pollard for all his hard work on the ground, Mick Greener for helping with a number tasks, and not forgetting the ‘Catering Army’ of Diane, Wendy, Linda, Sam, Maggie and Karen.