Seconds Gain Slender Lead After Rain-Affected Day At Kibworth

By Pete Johnson

Leicestershire will take a slender lead over Gloucestershire into day three of the Second Eleven Championship contest at Kibworth CC.

Jamie Dunk top scored with 43, as the Foxes assembled a 12-run advantage at 122 for nine before the elements again had the upper hand. Only 35.2 overs of play were possible due to a combination of a wet outfield and bad light.

Play eventually started at 1.55pm, with 68 overs being available in the day. Leicestershire resumed on their overnight 8-0, Sheridon Gumbs (6*), Usman Minhas (0*). After 7.2 overs of the morning, Leicestershire were reduced to 27-3. Minhas (3), Gumbs (11), and Jay Madan (0) all having been dismissed.

A partnership of 68 was then posted for the 4th wicket, an excellent rebuilding job in the context of the match, being done by Dunk and George Maddy. The pair posting a 50 (77b) partnership when the score reached 77-3.

When required Dunk has ‘electric pace’ running between the wickets. If you were to put an athlete’s vest on him, and a baton in his hand, instead of a cricket bat, he would not look out of place in a 4 x 100 Relay Team. He would be quite capable of ‘lapping’ batters who are not the fleetest of foot over 22 yards.

Maddy (24) 39b played a solid innings, and it came as somewhat of a surprise when he was bowled by seamer Jonny Bushnell. Maddy having added 68 for the 4th wicket with Dunk, the highest partnership of the match to date. Leicestershire 94-4 after 26.5.

A further five runs had been added when Dunk (43) 71b was caught at the wicket by Zaman Shafi, again off the bowling of Bushnell. In the next over, both Sam Wood (0) and Roman Walker (0) were victims of pace bowler Aman Rao. Wood caught at third slip, and Walker trapped lbw. Leicestershire 101-7 from 31.5.

17-year-old EPP star Arnav Rai showcased a gutsy stay at the crease. Although small in stature, the teenager was big of heart facing up to the pace attack of Bushnell, and the towering Rao with fight and determination. In his first innings for the Seconds, Rai (1) 24b was next to depart to a short ball, again to the Shafi/Bushnell combination.

Chris Wright (11*) and Matt Salisbury (4*) took the Foxes into Tea on 118-8 from 37 overs. In the first over after Tea, Salisbury was caught at mid-wicket by Kamram Dhariwal off left-arm seamer James Trodd, with no addition to the score.

Ali Farooq joined Wright, but only a further three deliveries were possible before the umpires took the players from the field due to bad light at 4.54pm. Leicestershire on 122-9 leading by 12 runs. Wright (15*) Farooq (0*). At 6.02pm, with no improvement to the light, play was called off for the day.