Ackerman steers County to first win

Date: Monday 04 May 2009

FPT Game Four: 31 overs per side: Leicestershire Foxes 201-3 (Ackerman 118*, Taylor 48) beat Ireland 197-5 (Stirling 80, K.O’Brien 67*, I. O’Brien 2-36) by seven wickets.

HD Ackerman’s unbeaten century helped guide Leicestershire to their first FPT victory of the season against Ireland at Grace Road on Bank Holiday Monday.

Ackerman carried his bat for a brilliant unbeaten 118 from just 87 balls as County triumphed, sharing a second wicket partnership of 107 with James Taylor (48) along the way.

The win was much-needed for the team, who had lost the opening three FPT games of the season.

The game was reduced to 31 overs per side because of the weather, and when play began at 2pm the Foxes won the toss and elected to field.

Leics showed two changes from the side that lost to Hampshire, with Alex Wyatt and Harry Gurney coming in for the injured Sam Cliff and AJ Harris.

The team got off to a good start, reducing Ireland to 44-3 early on. Iain O’Brien bowled James Hall for a duck, Taylor ran out Jeremy Bray with a direct hit and Wayne White forced Andrew Poynter to play on.

However, a cracking stand of 110 between Paul Stirling – who made a superb 80 from just 82 balls – and Kevin O’Brien (67* from 67 balls) – ensured County had a tricky target of 198.

The Foxes did not help their own cause, dropping three catches in the innings which allowed both men off the hook.

Stirling survived twice on 38 and 62 as chances on the boundary were shelled, with White and Gurney the unlucky bowlers.

White was also unfortunate not to have O’Brien caught as another chance went begging. The duo deserved their luck though after showing good intent from word go.

Stirling’s quirky innings included some fine touches and powerful strokes, and he was quick to punish anything loose.

O’Brien also played an important role, scoring at a run-a-ball and supporting his partner well.

County’s O’Brien ended the innings of Stirling when he trapped the batsman leg-before with a full, straight delivery, but John Mooney carried on the good work with 19 in a stand of 37 with Ireland’s O’Brien.

Mooney became Wyatt’s first List A victim when O’Brien held the first catch of the day at long-off, but Ireland had a competitive target nevertheless at 197-5.

O’Brien finished with good figures of 1-36 from seven overs, while Wyatt (1-31 from six) and Carl Crowe (0-30 from six) also bowled nicely with White desperately unlucky to end with just the one wicket.

The Foxes needed a good start and Ackerman booked in for a lengthy stay at the crease. Matthew Boyce also found the boundary a few times early on, before chipping a slower ball from O’Brien to Poynter at mid-on.

That ended a 37-run opening stand, but Taylor picked up the baton and was a useful foil to Ackerman, who looked superb throughout.

He played a number of trademark cover drives and also found the leg-side boundary a few times too with clever pick-up shots.

Taylor pulled the ball powerfully, swept beautifully and ran well in his knock, and it was a shame he fell just short of a maiden List A half-century.

It looked as though the back of the innings had been broken, but when The youngster was bowled by visiting skipper Kyle McCallan and Boeta Dippenaar also fell to the off-spinner in the same over, there was still work to do at 146-3.

Skipper Paul Nixon came to the crease and helped Ackerman home, with the third and final powerplay proving crucial.

The Foxes entered the batting powerplay on 154-3 after 25 overs, but three overs later and 35 runs had been added, with both men finding the boundary regularly during the 18 balls.

That effectively ended Ireland’s spirited resistance, and Ackerman finished things off nicely with some more trademark cover drives and a fine flick behind square.