Spin dominates on day two as the Running Foxes to commanding lead into day three

DAY TWO | Leicestershire CCC 451 v Gloucestershire CCC 158 & 5 for one

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REPORT | Callum Parkinson claims his first five-fer of the season as the Running Foxes take advantage of Gloucestershire’s middle to lower order batting collapse.

Leicestershire enforced the Gloucestershire follow-on as the visitors trail by 293 at the end of their first innings.

Day two began in much fresher conditions than that of day one, as the humidity in Leicestershire disappeared overnight as Harry Swindells (25*) and Ben Mike (2*) continued the Running Foxes’ first innings.

County needed 43 in the remaining 14 overs in order to claim every available bonus batting point, and the duo got off to an assured start taking Ryan Higgins for four from the first over of the day.

The run rate slowed as the morning grew older, however, Mike got his, and the day’s boundaries underway as he drove David Payne back down the wicket and over the rope for four.

With 5 overs of the allotted 110 remaining, County required 27 further runs to claim the fifth bonus batting point for reaching 400 runs.

The Running Foxes fell just short of the 400-run mark inside 110 overs, though, ending on 383 for six, with Harry Swindells (36) being the latest wicket to be claimed by Gloucestershire.

The Leicestershire man was caught by Ian Cockbain at first slip off the bowling of Tom Smith, who claimed his first wicket of the innings.

Mike (12*) was joined by vice-captain Callum Parkinson with County sat on 379 for six as Gloucestershire, and Tom Smith, claimed their first wicket of the day.

The seventh wicket then stood for a further 26 runs before Mike joined his teammates back in the shed, with a score of 24. The Leicestershire allrounder was pinned infront by Daniel Worral.

Chris Wright came out to join Parkinson (10*) at the crease as the duo saw off the remaining 11 overs, before the teams headed in for the lunch interval.

Leicestershire lost two morning wickets for a further 79 runs as they took lunch at 436 for seven.

Parkinson (22*) and Wright (11*) re-emerged for the afternoon session, though, Wright was soon making his way back inside after guiding a Miles Hammond delivery straight to Josh Shaw, who was running in from long on for 11.

Leicestershire were 436 for eight as Ed Barnes joined Parkinson on 22.

County’s first innings then came to an abrupt end following two wickets in the same over from Josh Shaw, as he bowled Barnes for 10, which was followed up with the wicket of Will Davis who was bowled for a two-ball duck.

Leicestershire’s innings came to an end on 451 as Gloucestershire prepared their response.

Chris Wright opened the bowling for Leicestershire from the Bennett End, accompanied by Will Davis from the Pavilion End.

The opening duo of Miles Hammond and Chris Dent made a sizeable dent into the Running Foxes’ first innings score, before County claimed the first wicket.

The wicket to fall was perennial threat, Dent, before Ackermann got one to turn back into the batsman which beat the bat and clipped the top of off for 12.

County had made the breakthrough they were after, with the partnership coming to an end on 48 for one.

Out came Gloucestershire’s new overseas batsman, Glenn Phillips, to join Hammond (26*) in the middle, as the Running Foxes looked for a quick second wicket.

The second wicket did come, but after the duo put on a useful stand of 33 before Phillips (16) was back in the pavilion.

Phillips was dismissed in spectacular fashion, as he looked to clip Parkinson away for four over mid-off, however, Marcus Harris was on hand to take the catch over his shoulder, running towards the boundary.

Gloucestershire were now 81 for two as Tom Lace joined Hammond (38*) in the middle moments before tea was taken.

Five overs into the third session of the day and Leicestershire had their third wicket, as captain Ackermann claimed the scalp of Tom Lace (1) as he nicked one through to ‘keeper Harry Swindells who took the grab.

Ackermann nearly made it two wickets in two balls as Ian Cockbain edged Ackermann’s delivery through to Will Davis at first slip, who failed to take the low grab between his legs, after three attempts.

Cockbain was reprieved, and the man who led the Gloucestershire charge earlier in the season at the Bristol County Ground remained in the middle.

Meanwhile, Hammond made his way to his half-century, coming from 80 balls, including six fours and one six.

Two quick wickets from Parkinson then found the County vice-captain on a hat-trick ball, bowling to the new batsman Ryan Higgins.

Parkinson claimed the wicket of Cockbain firstly, caught by Davis at second slip who would have breathed a sigh of relief.

Following the earlier drop, Cockbain only went on post six before Davis finally got his man.

With his next delivery, Parkinson turned the ball away from Higgins who played, missed and watched the ball clip the top of his off stump for a golden duck.

Jonathan Tattersall was the man to face the hat-trick ball, which he defended well.

The wickets kept coming for the Running Foxes as Ackermann helped himself to his third of the innings, after Tom Smith thick inside edged the skipper’s delivery and chopped on to his own stumps for 1.

Gloucestershire were 128 for seven with County looking to bring an end to the visitors’ first innings on day two.

The skipper decided to make the change to the bowling to bring Wright back into the action, following a fruitful spell of spin from both ends.

The decision to bring seam back in paid dividends immediately, as Wright claimed his first wicket of the innings from his second ball back.

Tattersall (18) was the man to go as he lofted Wright’s delivery straight to the hands of Sam Evans at mid-wicket who took the simple grab.

Ackermann took himself of the bowling, leaving Parkinson on from the Pavilion end and soon he claimed his first five-fer of the season.

His fifth wicket of the innings came after wrapping Tom Smith on the pads for seven, claiming his five-fer with figures of 15.4-4-45-5.

Gloucestershire were 153 for nine as Daniel Worrall joined David Payne (8*) in the middle to form their final wicket of the first innings.

Chris Wright brought Gloucestershire’s first innings to an end after pinning Worrall in front for an eleven-ball duck.

Gloucestershire’s innings came to an end on 158, trailing by 293, prompting Head Coach Paul Nixon to enforce the follow-on.

The visitors’ openers, Hammond and Dent emerged together for the second time in the day, as Parkinson prepared to open the bowling from the Bennett End, accompanied by Ackermann from the Pavilion End.

The day came to an end a ball early, as Parkinson and Ackermann combined to take the wicket of Dent for 5.

Parkinson found the outside edge as Dent guided the delivery straight to Ackermann at first slip.

The day came to a close with Leicestershire having made the breakthrough in Gloucestershire’s second innings with the visitors on 5 for one.

FIGURES (1st inns) | Worrall 23-8-57-2, Payne 19-4-46-1, Shaw 16-3-55-2, Higgins 25-5-73-0, Phillips 21-1-77-2, Smith 19-0-60-1, Hammond 9-1-37-2

Wright 11.3-2-32-2, Davis 5-1-17-0, Parkinson 18-6-45-5, Ackermann 16-3-55-3

FIGURES (2nd inns) | Parkinson 2.5-1-4-1, Ackermann 2-1-1-0

TEAM | Hassan Azad, Sam Evans, Marcus Harris, Colin Ackermann (C), Lewis Hill, Harry Swindells (wk), Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, Chris Wright, Ed Barnes, Will Davis.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE CCC | Chris Dent (C), Miles Hammond, Glenn Phillips, Tom Lace, Ian Cockbain, Ryan Higgins, Jonathan Tattersall, Tom Smith, David Payne, Josh Shaw, Daniel Worrall

IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.

MATCH SPONSOR | Thanks to CWA for being our match sponsor.