O'Brien, New and Allenby excel for County

Date: Thursday 02 July 2009

Report (Day Three): Leicestershire 412 (Allenby 96, Taylor 89, New 66, Ackerman 49, Hunter 5-82) and 209-7 (New 63*, Allenby 52, Wagg 3-70) lead Derbyshire 365 (Park 72, Redfern 50, O’Brien 6-87) by 224 runs.

A six-wicket haul from Iain O’Brien and half-centuries from Jim Allenby and Tom New helped Leicestershire into a 256-run lead against Derbyshire after day three of the Championship match.

Fifteen wickets fell on an absorbing day’s cricket to set up the prospect of an intriguing final day between the two evenly-balanced teams, with County hoping to register their first four-day win of the season.

Leicestershire were lifted in the field by overseas paceman O’Brien, who took 6-87 as Derbyshire moved from their overnight total of 188-2 to 365.

That did not tell the full story though, as the hosts were 336-5 at one stage of their knock and looking to pass County’s total of 412.

Once O’Brien got to work, though, there was no chance of that happening. The paceman wrapped up the innings in outstanding fashion, taking 5-13 in 23 balls.

The New Zealander claimed 6-45 from 14.5 overs during the day, which ensured an important 47-run first-innings lead.

County were then reduced to 19-2 and 92-5 in their second knock, before Allenby (52) and New (63*) shared 51, and the ‘keeper and George Walker (13) then put on 65 important runs to steer the ship into safer waters.

It has been an excellent match so far for New, who took six catches in the Derbyshire innings to go with two half-centuries in the game.

The day started with County making two important early breakthroughs as Walker and Allenby dismissed the unbeaten overnight pair of Garry Park and Dan Redfern.

Park added just two more to his tally of 70, before being caught by Dippenaar at slip to give Walker a deserved wicket.

It ended his three-and-a-half hour stay at the wicket, and the other end was opened up shortly after as young Redfern departed.

The England under-19 batsman bought up his 50, but fell on exactly his half-century when nicking Allenby behind to New.

That took the score from 207-2 to 213-4, and County sniffed an opportunity.

Wavell Hinds was in a destructive mood, though, and scored a brisk 40 from 56 balls during a 66-run stand with Greg Smith.

The West Indian struck six fours and a six during his entertaining stay at the crease, but O’Brien struck by ending the knock courtesy of New’s third catch.

Smith then received good support from ‘keeper Jamie Pipe, as the pair took the side through to lunch on 310-5 unbeaten on 37 and 23 respectively.

Derby may have sensed an opportunity to get into a lead, but it was O’Brien who grabbed the limelight after the break with an impressive performance.

He found the edge with regularity, which allowed New to end with six victims.

Smith was first to go after lunch, caught by Allenby at slip for 40. ‘Keeper Pipe fell one short of his half-century when held by his counterpart, before Ackerman caught Graham Wagg at mid-on to leave the score on 356-8.

The quick triple-strike ruined Derbyshire’s thoughts of getting ahead and O’Brien wasn’t in the mood to hang around as he finished with County's Championship best figures of the season.

Jake Needham became both the Kiwi’s fifth wicket and New’s fifth catch, and Nantie Hayward followed with exactly the same mode of dismissal from the very next ball.

Leics were then looking to build a matchwinning lead, but were pegged back by three early strikes.

Wagg claimed Josh Cobb’s wicket for the second time in the match, caught behind by Pipe.

Dippenaar was then run out for just a single looking for a two to mid-wicket, which bought Ackerman to the crease. The batsman continued his good form and Matthew Boyce dug in to support him.

Scoring quickly was not easy, as Boyce found to his peril. After batting patiently for seven, the left-hander fell to an attacking stroke as Ian Hunter held a catch off Hayward down at third man.

At that stage, County were struggling at 47-3, even allowing for the fact they were double that score in effect.

Allenby joined Ackerman in the middle, and with the two in-form batsmen paired together, the Foxes were looking for a substantial partnership.

That much-needed stand failed to materialise as Ackerman perished in Needham’s first over just prior to tea.

The young off-spinner had the batsman caught by Wagg at cover to end a breezy 31 from 36 balls, in which Ackerman found the boundary six times.

The wicket brought together James Taylor and Allenby, who shared an impressive 177-run stand in the first innings.

It was not to be this time. Taylor went leg-before to Wagg, and County were just 139 ahead with five of their top six back in the pavilion.

The team badly needed Allenby and New to step up to the plate to ensure Derbyshire did not seize the initiative – and they did.

Both have been playing well of late and their second fifties of the game were critical contributions.

The pair’s stand of 51 guided County towards a 200-run lead, with Allenby being extremely positive.

It was an innings that swung the momentum back towards Leics. The all-rounder struck four sixes - including two from Wagg in one over - in his half-century along with four other boundaries.

He reached 50 with a top-edged six off Hunter, and his 57-ball stay was ended by the seamer from the very next delivery. Despite the blow, New kept going to post his fifth half-century in nine Championship innings.

He found a useful ally in Walker as the pair added 65 in 17 overs for the seventh wicket, and New bought up his 50 in the process from 71 balls.

Although Walker became Wagg’s third wicket of the day, the ‘keeper ended the day unbeaten on 63 with County in a far healthier position than they looked like being in at one stage.