Seconds storm to super Trophy win

Scorecard

REPORT | By Pete Johnson

Eben Kurtz made a maiden century for the Seconds and Neil Pinner was in impressive all-round form as Leicestershire comfortably beat Warwickshire by seven wickets in the Trophy match at Grace Road.

The visitors put 259 on the board but the top three partnerships all went past 50 as County cruised to victory inside 42 overs.

Cloud cover hung over Grace Road, with the sun making only an occasional flirtation with the predominately cloudy sky as the SET encounter got underway.

There were a commendable number of spectators present at the start, having decided to forsake watching the test match on TV in preference to seeing some live action first hand.

The Scorers’ Suite certainly had an Ashes feel to it with the Warwickshire Scorer being Steve Smith, and the Leicestershire Scorer going one better with the impeccable moniker of Peter Neville Johnson. 

Freddie Coleman won the toss for Warwickshire and chose to bat first, the wicket being pitched towards the Milligan Road side of the square. County made steady inroads into the Warwickshire batting from the start having them 129-5 after 26.3 overs.

Ollie Freckingham accounted for both openers, bowling Umeed (9) and then having Coleman (28) caught by Liam Hurt at mid-wicket. Liam Hurt replaced Freckingham at the Bennett End, and had Ed Pollock (15) caught behind by Mike Burgess.

Alex Wyatt replaced Hurt at the Bennet End and removed Jon Webb (39), who played on, and then soon after trapped Liam Banks (10) in front. Hurt returned at the Bennett End, and dismissed Thomason (22), superbly caught one-handed by keeper Burgess, diving to his left.

Warwickshire were now on 138-6 after 28.4 overs with all six wickets being taken by bowlers operating from the Bennett End.

Then followed a breezy stand of 70 between Mark Adair and ‘keeper Pete McKay. Adair (27) finally saw red, and got underneath a short ball from Freckingham, Andrea Agathangelou running round from mid-on to take the skier in the mid-wicket area.

McKay went to his 50 (6x4) from 55 balls but George Panayi (7) was next to go, lbw to the impressive Neil Pinner, who was now in his second spell of miserly spin bowling. Brookes (8) was ninth man out, when Pinner produced a Statto and Anorak’s dream, having Brookes stumped off a wide. A little nugget from Pinner’s portfolio.

Pinner then reinforced his excellent figures by trapping McKay (70) in front, Warwickshire being dismissed for 259 from 49 overs with nine of the ten wickets taken coming from bowlers at the Bennett End (I must get out more!)

County opened up with young prospects Kurtz and Alex Kent. Kurtz has been in impressive form for the 2s this season and added to his already impressive CV with an outstanding knock. The pair added 81 for the first wicket, Kent not at all being overshadowed.

Kent road his luck at times with some swiftly scampered singles, taking on the arm of the fielders. It was fitting that it is the British Open this week as there was no way that Kent was going to miss the cut.

Kent (37 from 34 balls) eventually went edging behind to McKay off Brookes. Agathangelou joined Kurtz, and the pair added 98 for the second wicket, Kurtz going to his 50 (6x4) from 72 balls.

Both batsmen were finding the rope on regular occasions and their partnership contained a number of threes. The alliance came to an end when Agathangelou (45) went caught at mid-wicket by Adair off Thomason.

Pinner joined Kurtz, and made an eye-catching 30 not out from 29 balls to go with his impressive return of 3-40. Kurtz stormed to his first century for the 2s from 119 balls (13x4) with the score on 223-2 from 37 overs.

Kurtz eventually went for 107, caught behind by McKay off Adair. A superb innings from Kurtz, who is in a rich vein of form at present - remember the name (it is not one you would easily forget though).

Dan Redfern (21 from 13 balls) joined Pinner to administer the last rites, County easing to victory by 7 wickets, finishing on 260-3 from 41.5 overs.