Wright, Azad and Hill star on second day

DAY TWO | Leicestershire CCC 291 for two v Sussex CCC 359

SCORECARD | Available HERE

REPORT | Chris Wright claimed his 100th first-class wicket for the Running Foxes, and his fourth five-fer of the campaign, as Leicestershire struck back with an impressive bowling display in the morning session.

The County batsmen then responded as Hassan Azad recorded his second century of the campaign, alongside Lewis Hill who recorded his third with the duo surpassing the third wicket partnership record against Sussex in first-class cricket for Leicestershire.

Day two got underway at the Uptonsteel County Ground in cool, dry conditions as the Running Foxes would have been targeting early wickets in the morning session, with Sussex CCC commencing on 310 for four.

Due to the loss of seven overs yesterday, the timings were slightly revised in order to fit in a total of 100 overs throughout today’s play.

Abi Sakande opened the bowling from the Pavilion End, joined by Chris Wright from the Bennett End.

It took until the seventh over of the second day before Leicestershire made headway into the remaining Sussex CCC batsmen, with Wright once again, making the breakthrough with an impressive double-wicket maiden.

First to go for the visitors was Tom Hinley after mis-timing his pull shot from Wright’s shorter delivery and picking out Ed Barnes at square leg who took the catch.

Hinley departed for 19 as Jack Carson made his way out to the middle.

Carson came and went without troubling the scorers, with a three-ball duck, after nicking Wright’s away swinger through to Harry Swindells who anticipated the nick off already moving to his right.

Henry Crocombe emerged to join Ben Brown in the middle with the visitors on 334 for six.

Crocombe’s stay lasted 24 minutes and yielded 18 further runs for Sussex before Wright claimed the first of two wickets in another double wicket over.

The Foxes man wickedly seamed one back into the batsman to crack his off-stump for 7 “ the wicket of Crocombe brought up Wright’s fourth five-wicket haul of the season with figures of 27.2-3-93-5.

Wright followed the wicket of Crocombe up with the wicket of Sean Hunt (0, 1b) after seaming the delivery away from the batsman this time, beating the bat and clipping the outside of off-stump.

Sussex were now down to their final partnership “ as Fynn Hudson-Prentice has been confirmed retired out after taking one to the hand on day one “ with Joe Sarro joining Brown in the middle on 352 for eight.

The final wicket partnership went on to add seven further runs to the Sussex total before Ed Barnes brought an end to the visitors’ first innings on 359.

Sarro (0, 9b) was the man to go after chipping Barnes’ delivery to the hands of Sakande stood at mid-wicket - Brown finished the innings not out on 133 (234b).

Hassan Azad and Sam Evans made their way out to the middle to begin County’s first innings’ response, but it was Sussex who made the quick start.

Despite the innings getting underway with four byes off the bowling of Sean Hunt, the Sussex man claimed the wicket of Sam Evans for 0(1b) after the Foxes man nicked the away swinger to the hands of Delray Rawlings at second slip.

A fast start for the visitors saw George Rhodes join Azad in the middle just three deliveries into the innings.

The duo of Azad and Rhodes didn’t take long to get into their stride though, with both batsmen finding the boundary rope frequently before the lunch break.

Lunch came with the second wicket stand firmly intact, with Leicestershire on 51 for one after ten overs, Azad 28*, Rhodes 15*.

The afternoon session got underway and both batsmen picked up where they left off in the morning, as the 100-run mark came into sight.

Leicestershire’s ton, and Azad’s fifty were both reached from the same delivery as the Foxes man turned on Hunt’s short delivery to see it off to the leg-side boundary rope “ the half-century coming from 76 balls, including eight fours.

The second wicket stand came to an end soon after, though, as Rhodes (37) was caught out by Haines’ delivery that seamed away, beat the bat and clipped the outside of off-stump.

Lewis Hill made his way to the crease to join Azad (52*) with Leicestershire on 108 for two.

The new batsman in the middle soon got his boundary account up and running after driving Carson away through point for his first four of the innings.

The duo were relatively unfazed for the remainder of the session with the third wicket partnership entering tea with Leicestershire on 152 for two.

The partnership had put on a stand of 44 as the interval was brought up with Azad looking in good touch on 72*, joined by Hill on 24*.

Eight overs into the evening session and Hill joined Azad in recording his half-century, as he clattered Carson away through the covers for his ninth four of the day “ the fifty coming from 66 balls.

Hill then targeted Rawlins four overs later as he brought an end to the 53rd over with back-to-back maximums off the Bermudan.

Next up for the duo was Azad’s ton.

The opener’s first ton at Grace Road since 2019 came via a mis-field from Sarro at cover after Azad cut Hinley into the off-side looking to scamper the single required.

A fumbled pick up from the Sussex fielder allowed Azad through to record his ton from 187 balls, including 10 fours.

Five overs later and Hill joined Azad on recording his century in the fixture, after driving Hunt down to mid-on to run the single required to bring up the milestone “ the ton coming from 116 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes.

Bad light once again forced the players of the pitch “ for the second evening running, as Azad (122*) and Hill (109*) exited the pitch at 17:37.

It took just three minutes for umpires Robinson and Newell to call time on day three as Azad and Hill led the Running Foxes into day three sitting on 291 for two.

FIGURES (1st inns) | Wright 29-3-94-6, Sakande 22-3-77-1, Mike 16-2-55-1, Barnes 17.4-2-62-1, Parkinson 16-3-38-0, Rhodes 7-0-15-0

Hunt 13-0-79-1, Crocombe 14-2-41-0, Carson 19-0-65-0, Sarro 7-0-42-0, Haines 7-2-7-1, Rawlins 8-0-30-0, Hinley 4-0-22-0

TEAM | Hassan Azad, Sam Evans, George Rhodes, Lewis Hill, Louis Kimber, Harry Swindells (wk), Ben Mike, Ed Barnes, Callum Parkinson (C), Chris Wright, Abi Sakande.

SUSSEX CCC | Ali Orr, Tom Haines (C), Ben Brown, Oliver Carter (wk), Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Delray Rawlins, Jack Carson, Sean Hunt, Henry Crocombe, Joe Sarro, Tom Hinley

IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.

MATCH SPONSOR | Thanks to Marks Electrical for sponsoring round five of the 2021 LV= County Championship.