Season Review - Part Six - Second half of July

Date: Friday 30 January 2009

In the sixth part of our season review of 2008, we take a look back at the second half of July.

After the excitement of the previous thrilling one-day game, County needed to readjust for the trip to Wantage Road to face Northants in the Championship.

Unfortunately, that did not happen, and many batsmen will be disappointed that they got out almost in one-day mode as the team slipped to defeat inside three days.

Northants battled to a decent first innings score, with old nemesis David Sales making another flawless century against County. Sales is one of those batsmen who always seems to flourish against Leics, and this was no exception.

He and Stephen Peters grafted hard during the first day and although County hit back on the second, Northants made a competitive score in excess of 350.

Then, their bowlers exploited County’s weakness against the swinging ball, with David Lucas, Johannes van der Wath and Andrew Hall all profiting, with only a spirited last-wicket stand between Allenby and Malik avoided a complete disaster in the first innings.

However, County were still forced to follow on despite the duo’s efforts and the seamers again did the damage in the second knock, along with a controlled spell of slow left arm spin by Nicky Boje.

A typically pugnacious effort from Nixon, helped by Smith in the main ensured Northants did at least have to bat again, but they knocked off the minute target for the loss of a couple of wickets to wrap up a comfortable win.

It inflicted the second successive heavy Championship defeat in a row and the team needed to bounce back quickly with high-flying Warwickshire in town for a Pro-40 and Championship game the following week.

It is fair to say that did not happen in the one-day game, as the Bears won in some style in front of the television cameras. It was a game best forgotten for the Foxes, who were second best in all departments.

However, after some soul-searching came a much better four-day performance and a win may have been on the cards had the weather not intervened.

HD Ackerman led the way with a majestic 199, helped in no small part by Josh Cobb, who was making his first Championship start of the season. The pair shared a super stand with his more experienced partner during the first innings after a little wobble on the first day.

The youngster was making his first four-day appearance of the summer, and he took the chance with both hands, also taking a couple of wickets in the game as County pushed for a win. However, it was the efforts with the bat that set up the game.

It was the first time the team had took a single batting point for three games, and thanks to Tom Smith – who made a well-deserved maiden first-class half-century for his efforts for County - and Claude Henderson, got up to full batting points.

That gave the team a much-needed boost and the bowlers responded, with Nadeem Malik claiming a third five-for of an already productive season.

It forced the Bears to follow on, but with time sucked out of the game because of rain and bad light, they just needed to negotiate a reduced final day. They did, losing just three wickets after showing resilience throughout.

Nevertheless, the performance was a marked improvement by County and a decent points haul left the team with some much-needed confidence after a difficult spell.

There were plenty of positives, with Ackerman returning to form, Cobb showing maturity and Smith gaining reward for a superb spell with the bat by posting his first ever half-century in first-class cricket.

Now, the team needed to build on that form into the penultimate month of the season which featured a core of the Pro40 campaign and some Championship cricket too.

Running total: Champ: P10, W2, D6, L2

FPT: P9, W5, L3, A1

T20: P10, W2, L7, A1

Pro40: P2, W0, L1, T1.

Player of the month: Ackerman.