Wyatt shines on tough opening day for Seconds
Mon 20 Apr 2015
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
Leicestershire’s 2nd XI fixtures got underway for 2015 with a friendly against Nottinghamshire at Kibworth CC.
A lovely spring day heralded the start of the 2nd XI season, the morning sunshine trying hard to overcome what remained of the chill of the early morning air. A cluster of spectators were in attendance, some of whom bravely gave their shorts an early season run out.
Leicestershire fielded a team that included four triallists, Matt Pardoe, Jordan Rollings, Matt Wareing and Matt Cross with Zak Chappell also making his 2nd X1 debut for Leicestershire.
The Umpires strolled to the middle at their accustomed funereal pace. There are surely jobs as pall bearers awaiting Umpires when they decide to retire! They appear readily trained to the pace of the job.
Nottinghamshire won the toss and elected to bat. A familiar face in Greg Smith opened the batting along with AK Dal. Nottinghamshire reached 129-2 at lunch, with the batsmen out being Dal (15), bowled by Wyatt, and Sam Johnson (23), who was caught expertly down the leg side by keeper Hill off Wareing.
Smith posted an accomplished 50 (6x4/1x6) from 72 balls and went into lunch undefeated on 68 with Notts on 129-2. County picked up two wickets in the first seven balls after lunch. First to go was Hutton (16), who Rollings pinned lbw with the last ball of the first over after lunch. Rollings is a very tall individual, whose height would not make him look out of place in a basketball team.
Then with the first ball of the next over Rob Taylor had Smith (68) caught behind by Hill, who kept superbly all day, and Notts were now on 131-4. Adam Tillcock proved a thorn in County’s side, going to his 50 (8x4) from 78 balls.
Jamie New (10) went caught by keeper Hill, who made a superb catch, juggling with the ball three times before pouching it. Connor Marshall (9) soon followed becoming Hill’s fourth victim, this time off the bowling of Wareing.
Tillcock found an ally in Luke Wood and Notts went to tea on 248-6. Tillcock (89) finally went lbw to Sykes, the score now 282-7. County took the new ball after 80 overs with immediate success. The miserly Wyatt had Wood (42) caught at mid on by Chappell, and with the last ball of the first over with the new ball Wyatt trapped Webster (0) lbw.
Paul Franks (32) then did some fierce hitting before he was caught by Chappell off Rollings, Notts all out for 323. The pick of the County bowlers being Wyatt (17-5-32-4).
County had 16 overs to negotiate before the close, but had a somewhat torrid time against the new ball attack of Wood and Hutton in closing on 31-3. Matthew Boyce (3), Dan Redfern (7), and Aadil Ali (2) were all sent back by Hutton with Pardoe 11* and Hill 8* occupying the crease at the close.
