Seconds land thrilling win

Date: Tuesday 27 July 2010

Leicestershire Seconds posted their fourth Championship win of the season after beating Nottinghamshire by 23 runs in a great game at Market Harborough CC.

The visitors were set 336 to win in 76 overs after the captains agreed on setting up a game, and Alex Wyatt excelled with 4-49.

Tall paceman Wyatt, who has been unfortunate with injuries over the last couple of years, claimed the last wicket to seal the win and generally bowled well as County reduced Notts to 312 all out in the 73rd over.

Earlier in the game, Greg Smith made an excellent century as Leicestershire made 331. The in-form Liam Kinch added an unbeaten 74 and Joel Pope 66 while Dan Cumming took 6-51 for Notts. Slow left armer Graeme White chipped in with a three-for.

Notts moved to 125-4 with Jamie Sykes taking 2-8 and Wyatt and Harry Gurney also took a wicket apiece but rain was about to spoil things. To try to keep things interesting, Notts declared their innings overnight to set up a match.

It left a first-innings lead of 206 and Leics then raced to 129-2 from 18 overs on the final morning with Pope (53*) and Smith (37*) again in the runs to leave the aforementioned victory target of 336 in 76.

Bilal Shafayat made a century for the visitors but Wyatt was in form and James Benning also claimed two wickets. Gurney, Sykes and Dan Masters took the other wickets to go along with a run out.

It was an impressive triumph given Notts had a strong batting line-up including Shafayat and Matthew Wood, who has been in good touch in t20 recently.

Samit Patel's brother Akhil, Scott Elstone, former Northants man Mark Nelson and White were also in a team that could call upon usual first teamers Shreck and Luke Fletcher to bowl.

The cracking win certainly made up for the Trophy defeat against the same opposition by five wickets in a match played at Grace Road a day before. The game followed a similar pattern to the recent loss against Durham as the team had a terrific start but were then bowled out.

Matthew Boyce (72) and Will Jones (79) shared 139 for the first wicket while numbers three and four Smith (43) and Benning (22) also chipped in. However, the team slipped from 217-2 to 283 all out with two balls to go. Charlie Shreck (4-41) was in the wickets.

In reply, Notts had eleven balls to spare as they overhauled their target. Left-handed opener Patel made an excellent 105 and Elstone, who recently made his t20 debut against Leicestershire, made an impressive 91.

Their partnership of 106 for the fourth wicket was vital and despite the best efforts of Masters, who claimed 3-44, the side couldn't restrict their oppponents.

Shiv Thakor picked up the key wicket of Patel, and his spell of 1-42 from eight was impressive under tough circumstances. Benning took the other wicket to fall and although the defeat was disappointing, it was a cracking day's entertainment.

The Seconds' next assignment is a Trophy and Championship game at Derbyshire at the beginning of August.

The next home games are against Warwickshire, with a Trophy match at Grace Road on August 10 and a three-day Championship match at Kibworth which starts a day later.