Walker and Wright Help Foxes Make Superb Pre-Season Start
Wed 19 Mar 2025
Roman Walker and Chris Wright took three wickets apiece as Leicestershire’s bowlers made a superb start to pre-season, dismissing Leeds/Bradford UCCE for just 103 on day one at a sun-kissed Uptonsteel County Ground.
Remarkably bright and warm for a March fixture, the Foxes asserted their dominance throughout, with opening batters Rishi Patel and Sol Budinger accumulating a 50 partnership in the evening session to leave Alfonso Thomas’ side just 14 runs behind at the close.
After Ben Cox won the toss and elected to bowl, Wright wasted little time in getting stuck into his shift. He coaxed Aman Hussain’s (4) outside edge into the grateful gloves of Leicestershire’s stand-in skipper at the end of the opening over in an early sign of what was to follow.
The 40-year-old struck again nine balls later, bowling fellow opener Nico Boge “ offering no shot “ for a single.
Leicestershire’s early dominance continued when Tim Lloyd (1) flicked Ben Mike straight to Liam Trevaskis at square leg in the eighth over “ leaving Leeds/Bradford reeling on 18/3.
Visiting skipper Stuart van der Merwe (2) became Walker’s first victim, caught behind by Cox, before Tom Scriven pinned Charlie Dunnett in front for nine.
Welshman Walker then beat the defences of left-hander Henry Pearson (1) to reduce the students to 32/6 after 15.5 overs.
Number three Tom Moulton and all-rounder Stanley Brown then combined in a showing of obdurate resistance, putting on 46 together either side of lunch, until Wright returned to trap the former plumb in front for 21.
It sparked the Foxes back into life, with Brown (34) falling to Walker, while both Liam Bulteel (0) and Calum Fletcher (19) were dismissed by Liam Trevaskis “ who ended with impressive figures of 3.1-3-0-2 “ to end Leeds/Bradford’s innings on 103.
Patel and Budinger got Leicestershire’s reply off to a speedy start, taking 14 from the opening two overs. The pair put on a 50 alliance inside 11 overs, with the latter racing to 29 before he dragged on to Charlie Dunnett.
Ian Holland (5) fell in similar fashion, but Patel (33*) “ alongside Hill (5*) “ showed exemplary timing and temperament to help Leicestershire close in on the visitors’ total before bad light curtailed play at 5:45pm.
The Foxes will resume 14 runs in arrears when day two begins at 11am on Thursday.
A scorecard for day one can be viewed HERE.
