Solid display sees Foxes reach 316 for eight
Tue 18 Sep 2018
SCORE | Day 1 of 4, Specsavers County Championship: Leicestershire CCC 316-8 v Durham CCC
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo
REACTION | Ateeq Javid spoke to BBC Radio Leicester’s Richard Rae at stumps
HIGHLIGHTS | In-play highlights are available throughout the 2018 season
REPORT | Ateeq Javid made a half-century in his first knock as an opener for Leicestershire CCC as the team produced a solid batting display on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship against Durham CCC.
There were lots of good contributions throughout the innings as Leicestershire CCC scored 316 for eight from 96 overs, including 42 not out from Lewis Hill.
Harry Dearden (32) and Neil Dexter (43) shared 77 for the fifth wicket while Mark Cosgrove scored 38 on a day where all ten batsmen posted double figures.
A strong wind swept across the Fischer County Ground from the first ball to last, meaning that conditions were difficult for both sides.
Bowlers regularly had to pull up in their run-up from the Pavilion End while the batsmen were forced to deal with additional movement through the air.
The Foxes made four changes to the side that lost to Warwickshire CCC last week as Sam Evans, Hill, Gavin Griffiths and Callum Parkinson came into the side. Captain Paul Horton was unavailable because of personal reasons, so Colin Ackermann led the team.
Durham CCC invited Leicestershire CCC to bat first and there was a new look opening partnership in Javid and Evans.
The openers battled hard and also picked up some boundaries in the opening exchanges of the game against some accurate seam and swing bowling from Chris Rushworth and Matt Salisbury.
They took the score to 31 without loss before Evans (10) was trapped in front by a Rushworth delivery that nipped back off the seam.
Javid continued to steer the new ball around well, and No.3 Ackermann also settled in, taking the score to 46 for one before England seamer Mark Wood was introduced at the Bennett End.
Ackermann (18) struck back-to-back fours but perished later in the 22nd over when feathering a Barry McCarthy delivery through to Stuart Poynter.
It was still tough batting in the blustery conditions, although the sun had now started to burn through. Cosgrove joined Javid and the pair took the score through to 80 for two at lunch with the former on 43 not out.
The opener progressed to 50 from 97 balls having hit five fours in his landmark while Cosgrove started to drive the ball beautifully down the ground as the stand passed 50.
Unfortunately the Foxes lost another brace of wickets when Javid (58) was trapped leg before by another Rushworth nip-backer before Cosgrove saw his off stump disturbed by Salisbury.
It could have been two wickets in two balls as Dexter edged the very next delivery, but the ball burst through the hands of Michael Richardson at third slip.
Another stand developed as Dearden and Dexter knuckled down, although there was a scare as Dearden nicked Wood. The chance, that went low to Graham Clark at first slip, again went to ground.
The fifth wicket alliance passed 50 in just 10.2 overs with both players finding the fence with regularity. Dearden struck through mid-off and also pulled handsomely for two eye-catching fours, while Dexter peppered the cover boundary as he launched into a number of drives.
Leicestershire CCC had a bonus point in the bank in the 58th over, but there was a third nervy moment in the stand during Gareth Harte’s second over. Dexter drove and saw the ball fly past captain Paul Collingwood, fielding in a solitary slip position.
The visitors kept plugging away and picked up a fifth wicket in Harte’s next over. The medium pacer trapped Dexter leg before shortly before rain brought about a slightly early tea with the score at 216 for five after 61.5 overs.
Another wicket fell on that total as Dearden nicked Wood shortly after the restart, and the Foxes now needed to regroup a little.
‘Keeper Hill and Mike each found the boundary square on the off-side to get their 40-run stand up and running, and the duo played some attractive shots after getting themselves acquainted at the crease.
Mike drove through mid-on and over cover, while Hill also found the cover boundary and pulled a short Salisbury delivery over mid-wicket to record the second batting point.
Durham CCC changed the pace by introducing the leg-spin of Cameron Steel, while Harte switched to the Bennett End. The seamer trapped Mike (20) lbw to leave the score at 256 for seven.
The new ball was immediately taken by Rushworth and Salisbury, and a sumptuous drive through extra was followed by a clip off the pads as Hill continued to go well.
Parkinson (13) added 36 useful runs with Hill before nicking the returning Wood to Poynter, while Griffiths (21*) recorded a third batting point in the 90th over.
The No.10 hit a beautiful stroke through mid-on to ensure that every batsman reached double figures today, and then played one of the shots of a productive day by sending Wood racing through the covers.
TEAM | Javid, Evans, Ackermann (capt), Cosgrove, Dearden, Dexter, Hill (wk), Mike, Parkinson, Griffiths, Abbas.
PHOTO | Thanks to John Mallett for the photo of Ateeq Javid batting today.
* Leicestershire CCC’s final Specsavers County Championship home game is against Durham CCC this week (10.30am start). Tickets cost £12 for adults and £2 for under 16s and are available for all four days HERE
