Super Shreck keeps County in command
Tue 2 Jun 2015
Leicestershire require a further 108 runs with all ten second innings wickets intact to beat Essex in the LV=County Championship at Chelmsford.
County’s attack was rewarded for their patience on day three as Essex, who recovered from 92-4 to a position of 256-5 at one point in their second innings, were dismissed for 276.
Charlie Shreck claimed both his first five-wicket haul for the county and the 500th first-class wicket of his distinguished career during the innings while Ben Raine took 3-59 to end with superb match figures of 8-107.
Leicestershire then closed on 55-0 in pursuit of 163 thanks to Angus Robson, who built on his first innings century with 34 not out, and Matthew Boyce (20 not out).
Shreck’s hostility and accuracy proved a real handful but County faced a lot of resistance from opener Tom Westley and Ryan ten Doeschate.
They came together with their side still 22 short of wiping off a first innings deficit of 114 after key duo Ravi Bopara (19) and Jesse Ryder (20) were lbw to Clint McKay and bowled by Shreck respectively.
With ten Doeschate providing the main aggression, the pair gathered 128 in 32 overs to bring their side back into the contest. But all that changed when Shreck found the edge to have ten Doeschate caught in the slip cordon by Andrea Agathangelou for 77, a contribution that included nine fours in an innings spanning 101 balls.
His departure came with the total on 220 and 36 runs later, Westley’s valiant effort was brought to an end by Raine. The seamer, who picked up career-best figures of 5-48 in the first innings, trapped him leg before wicket with the batsman just three runs short of his first century of the summer.
Westley’s watchful resistance spanned just over five and a quarter hours and brought him a dozen boundaries. His removal led to a rapid decline in the innings as Shreck got to work and of the last five batsmen, only James Foster with 22, managed to reach double figures.
Foster, so often Leicestershire’s nemesis in the past, nicked Shreck to Agathangelou, Graham Napier (3) was pinned in front by Raine and Matt Salisbury (4) edged to Lewis Hill as Shreck reached his milestone.
He didn’t have to wait long for victim number 501 as last man Jamie Porter (2) offered a return catch, so Essex had lost their last five wickets for the addition of just 20 runs.
Raine finished with 3 for 59 while McKay picked up 2 for 57 as the pair provided Shreck with fine support. The trio were then able to put their feet up and watch Robson and Boyce build a firm foundation for Leicestershire’s victory bid.
