Spinners share five wickets

Leicestershire versus Sri Lanka, Day 1

SCORECARD | The scorecard from ESPN Cricinfo is available HERE

INTERVIEW | Angus Robson spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae HERE

REPORT | Spinners Rob Sayer, Jigar Naik and James Sykes shared five wicket as Leicestershire restricted Sri Lanka to 314-8 on the first day of the tourist game at the Fischer County Ground.

Number three batsman Kusal Mendis shone with 65 but the visitors were struggling at 192-8 before Dasun Shanaka (91 not out) and Rangana Herath (28*) came together to share an unbroken 122 for the ninth wicket. 

County made nine changes to the side that drew to Northants earlier this week with first starts of the season handed to Lewis Hill, Ned Eckersley, Michael Burgess, Tom Wells, Rob Taylor, Sayer, Sykes and Atif Sheikh, while Naik also came into the XI.

Angus Robson was named as captain of the club for the first time and flipped the coin on a cool and overcast morning at the Fischer County Ground. The toss went against Leicestershire for a fifth consecutive time this season and Sri Lanka opted to bat.

There was a flying start to the day for the Foxes as Sheikh yorked Dimuth Karunaratne (0) in the first over without a run on the board. It was the start of a tremendous morning of bowling by Sheikh, whose pace and hostility caused plenty of problems for the tourists.

Opener Kaushal Silva and Mendis regrouped with some impressive defence mixed with the occasional stylish boundary. Mendis hit one cracking stroke through extra cover for four but only nine boundaries came off the bat in the first session, so Leicestershire’s bowlers had done a good job.

Sheikh and County were unfortunate not to pick up a second success when Mendis edged in the 27^th over on 44, Naik just failing to hold on to a tough low chance to his left at first slip.

Another breakthrough was made before lunch however as Silva (32) pulled Sayer’s fourth delivery straight to Sykes at mid-wicket, ending a second wicket partnership of 101.

Lunch was taken with the Sri Lanka score on 102-2 after 30 overs and Mendis completed his half-century shortly after the interval from 93 balls, the landmark containing five boundaries.

But the number three batsman lost his wicket with the score on 124, caught by ‘keeper Eckersley from the off-spin of Sayer, and that dismissal allowed County to turn the screw.

Lahiru Thirimanne was caught by Wells off Taylor before Milinda Siriwardana was expertly taken by Aadil Ali at gully off Wells. Dinesh Chandimal was bowled by Sykes off an inside edge after making 30 and Naik trapped Niroshan Dickwella lbw for 19.

Sri Lanka went to tea on 187-7 and an eighth wicket fell shortly after the interval as Dushmantha Chameera (2) snicked Naik to Eckersley.

Shanaka and Rangana Herath helped to stage a recovery with the young all-rounder playing the role of aggressor, striking a quartet of fours and two maximums in a 72-ball fifty.

Left arm spinner Herath used all of his experience in a determined knock while Shanaka continued to score freely, hitting another six as the stand moved into three figures.

The tourists moved past 300 shortly afterwards and the duo continued their stubborn alliance until stumps, at which point Shanka was within nine runs of his maiden first-class hundred.

Bowling figures for Leicestershire: Sheikh 18-4-58-1, Taylor 15-3-46-1, Naik 15-2-61-2, Wells 15-1-60-1, Sykes 15-5-24-1, Sayer 12-1-41-2. 

* Thanks to Ed Melia for the photograph of Rob