Wells in the runs at Desborough
Mon 25 Jul 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
Here we are back again at downtown Desborough for the SEC match between Leicestershire and Durham. This being Leicestershire’s final SEC match of the season. It only seems like last Thursday since we were last here - as a matter of fact it was last Thursday!
The past couple of days have been somewhat hectic for yours truly, as a result of an all action sporting extravaganza. On Saturday I nipped up to Glasgow, as you do, for the ICC match between Celtic and City, getting home at 3.00am in the morning.
Some 7 hours later I was at the FCG enjoying a day’s full hit hospitality with my good friend Dale Page, and several colleagues. After my weekend exertions, I felt like a tattered flag when I got out of bed this morning. However, It was nice to be able to have some time to myself today. Before embarking on my journey to Desborough this morning, I left the lady wife a photograph of me so that she can remember what I look like.
Durham had the better of the days play dismissing County for 242. Tom Wells made 71, and Second XI debutant Tom Nightingale of the Leicestershire Academy made a very impressive 36 not out facing 104 balls. Durham racked up 107-1 from the 17 overs they had to face towards the end of the day.
There was about a score of diehard spectators present prior to the start of play. A glorious sunny morning greeted the Captains as they arrived at the middle for the toss. Wells spun the coin, his opposite number Adam Hickey called incorrectly, and County elected to bat.
Sam Evans and Wells opened the innings, but Evans (3) was soon on his way back, trapped lbw by left arm seamer Gurjit Sandhu. Aadil Ali joined Wells, and the pair set about building a foundation to the innings.
Ex England paceman Graham Onions was part of the Durham attack, and the pair saw stuck together, and saw him out of the attack. Ali found the ropes on five occasions with some very clean hitting, whilst Wells was playing a watchful, and composed role.
Ali (36) went caught at mid-off by Sandhu, running back to take the catch off the bowling of spinner Gurman Randhawa. County on 78-2 from 21 overs. Just before Ali’s departure Wells had launched Randhawa for a massive straight trademark maximum.
Zak Chappell joined Wells, and looked comfortable against the all-spin attack of Randhawa and Hickey. Chappell (17) was then unfortunately run out at the bowler’s end when going for a quick single from a ball he played to the point/gully area.
There was a bit of a stop start stutter between Wells and Chappell before embarking on the run. The footwork they displayed in the stop start stutter would have had Strictly Come Dancing judges Darcey Bussell and Len Goodman drooling, and reaching for their 10 ‘paddle’. I chose to mention those two judges as their names are easier to write down than Craig Revell-Horwood and Bruno Tonioli.
Three balls after Chappell’s exit, Wells went to his half century (5x4/1x6) from 87 balls. County went into lunch on 122-3 from 37 overs. Wells 55* and Matt Stokes 11*. There were no sundries in the morning session, but I personally made up for that at lunchtime by having plenty of extras on my plate. There is a lesson to be learnt from keeping on the right side of the Catering Staff.
After lunch Durham got through their over’s at a rapid rate spinners Randhawa and George Harding bowling 22 overs in an hour between them. I began to wonder if Randhawa was a Freemason because it was proving very difficult to get him off the square. At one point he had bowled 19 overs for a mere 29 runs.
Stokes (18) became the third lbw victim of the innings, the Channel Island icon being trapped in front by George Harding. County on 144-4 from 45.2 overs. When the score had reached 150 Wells’ fine innings came to an end. Yet another lbw victim this time to Randhawa, Wells making 71 (7x4/2x6) from 133 balls - very nearly half the total at the time.
James Sykes had come in at number six and was joined by Tom Nightingale after Wells’ dismissal. Nightingale had been whistled up from the Academy. The pair had added 24 when Sykes (22) was stumped by Stuart Poynter off the bowling of Graham Harding. Sykes innings had included five sweetly timed boundaries.
Nightingale was meanwhile playing an innings that defied his tender years. He took 18 balls to get off the mark, and did so by finding the ropes off Harding. ‘Father figure’ Jigar Naik partnered Nightingale, but in no way needed to protect the youngster from the strike.
Nightingale was really on song, and a feather in his cap was when he hit Onions for successive boundaries. The first of which was his ‘Berkeley’ shot - a square cut (groan). A steep learning curve for the youngster that he came through with flying colours.
Nightingale and Naik added 45 for the 7th wicket, Naik making 28 from 51 balls with five boundaries before being bowled by seamer Gavin Main.
Another Academy prospect Will Fazakerley joined Nightingale. Fazakerley (2) went caught behind by Poynter off Sandhu. The innings then soon came to an end. Tom Craddock (5) was caught at 2nd slip by Nick Hobson off Sandhu, and Atif Sheikh (1) being bowled by Sandhu, with the very first delivery of the new ball which had been taken after 87 overs.
County were all out for 242 from 87.2 overs. Tom Nightingale was 36 not out from 104 balls, a top class effort from the young Second XI debutant.
Durham had a minimum of 14 overs to face before stumps, but as they had bowled their overs at such a rapid rate earlier in the day, it allowed County to get 17 overs in.
Hickey and Nick Hobson opened up for Durham. The only success was when Sheikh trapped Hickey (1) in front with the last ball of the first over. That was as good as it got for County as Durham progressed to 107-1 at stumps through Hobson and Poynter.
Their 50 partnership came up from 52 balls. Hobson’s 50 (11x4/1x6) came from 43 balls, and their 100 partnership from 89 balls. At the close of play Hobson was 57* and Poynter 36*. Leicestershire 2 points, Durham 4 points.
