Seconds denied victory charge by rain

Date: Thursday 16 April 2009

Northants 2nd XI 199 (Naik 3 wkts, Crowe, Garside and Wyatt 2 wkts) drew with Leics 2nd XI 288-5d (Flowers 116*, Pope 46) and 165-4 (Pope 61, R.Taylor 38, J.Taylor 35*)

Leicestershire’s Second XI were denied a possible victory at Northamptonshire due to the bad weather.

County were in a promising position in the game, closing 254 runs ahead at the end of day two with six second-innings in hand.

However, the rain came down on the third and final day to wash the game out as an abandoned draw.

In the first innings, County made 288-5 declared, with Tom Flowers carrying his bat with an impressive unbeaten 116.

Joel Pope also made 46, with Jacques du Toit, Carl Crowe and Jigar Naik all getting into the 20s.

The spinners then took wickets as Northants were dismissed for 199. Naik claimed three and Crowe two after Kieran Garside and Alex Wyatt both claimed two wickets with the new ball.

du Toit took the other wicket to fall, with County then capitalising to build a substantial lead.

That was in large thanks to Pope, who followed up his first-innings knock with 61. Rob Taylor made 38, with James Taylor unbeaten on 35 at the close.

Unfortunately, the players could not take to the field on Thursday which meant they had to settle for a draw.

County: Flowers, du Toit, R.Taylor, J.Taylor, Pope, Naik, Crowe, Thakor, Wyatt, Garside, Gurney.