Walker and Bowley Share Opening Day Spoils
Tue 30 Aug 2022
By Pete Johnson
Leicestershire resumed their 2022 SEC campaign by hosting Glamorgan at the Park Road home of Loughborough Town CC. Honours were just about even over the day’s play, Glamorgan closing on 280-7. Roman Walker and Nat Bowley picking up four and three wickets respectively for the Foxes.
It being Leicestershire’s first SEC game since mid July, after a break of some five weeks it felt like the first game of the season for your esteemed correspondent!
Sam Bates captained Leicestershire, won the toss, and elected to field. Aryan Patel, a member of LCCC Academy was making his debut for the 2nd XI. Some 50 plus spectators, a number of whom were very familiar faces, were in attendance when the players took to the field. A very respectable crowd for a 2nd XI fixture, possibly as a result of it being a Bank Holiday.
After just 10.3 overs, Glamorgan were 23-2. Joe Cooke (6) trapped lbw by Walker, and his fellow opener Tom Bevan (7) caught at second slip by Nick Welch off Walker. Harry Friend and Callum Taylor set about a recovery job.
Taylor was put down when on 13, and again when on 24. On both occasions, the fielder’s body language suggested that they felt that they should have taken the catch. Friend and Taylor took Glamorgan into lunch on 80-2 from 30 overs.
Friend (33) was dismissed from the first ball after lunch caught at second slip by Welch off Walker. Not the first time that Welch (even if you have a bit of licence on the spelling), and Walker have been mentioned in the same breath!
Taylor went to his 50 (9x4) 85b when the score reached 124-3 from 40.1 overs, and eight runs later posted a 50 partnership with Ben Kellaway from 72 deliveries. A further two overs had elapsed when Kellaway (39) 49b was bowled by Bowley.
At 2.40pm a short sharp shower took the players from the field, 14 minutes lost, but no reduction in overs. 5.5 overs after play resumed, Taylor (70) 116b offered no shot to a delivery from Bowley, and was on his way LBW. Glamorgan 167-5 from 50.5 overs.
Glamorgan skipper Tom Cullen and Dan Douthwaite took the Welsh county into tea on 198-5 from 64 overs.
In the fifth over after tea, Bowley gave a delivery a little more air, Douthwaite (29) 55b was deceived by the flight, and comprehensively bowled. Andy Gorvin joined Cullen.
Leicestershire took the new ball after 81 overs, and with the very first delivery of the new ball Gorvin (10) 41b was bowled by Walker. Glamorgan 249-7 from 80.1 overs. Cullen was joined by Zain-Ul-Hassan, and the pair safely took Glamorgan to Stumps on 280-7. Cullen (46*) 143b, Hassan (19*) 48b.
All seven wickets on the day, shared by Walker and Bowley, who both operated from the Shelthorpe End. I may consider rephrasing that as it makes them sound like surgeons! Walker 4-48 from 19 overs, and Bowley 3-66 from 24 overs. Leicestershire 2 points, Glamorgan 2 points.
A full scorecard can be found HERE.
