Eckersley and Dixey excel for Seconds

Date: Tuesday 05 July 2011

Ned Eckersley and Paul Dixey shared a magnificent unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 127 to guide the Second XI to an excellent Trophy victory against Unicorns A.

The Unicorns batted well in making 269-8 from 40 overs and County had a tough revised target of 240 in 33 overs after rain fell at the interval.

Matthew Boyce (56) and Will Jones (34) shared 93 for the first wicket inside 13 overs to give the team a flying start but the team were up against it when they slipped to 115-4.

The rate escalated to above ten an over but Eckersley (68*) and Dixey (53*) were both in outstanding form as Leicestershire won by six wickets with five balls to spare.

Eckersley struck three huge sixes in reaching 50 from just 34 balls while Dixey (pictured) moved to his landmark from 43 deliveries with the winning boundary.

Earlier, Nathan Buck continued his comeback by taking 1-48 in eight overs. The paceman, who bowled 17 overs in last week's Championship draw with Northamptonshire, sent down two spells from the Pavilion End at Grace Road.

Nadeem Malik was the leading wicket-taker with 3-57, Alex Wyatt claimed 2-54 while Jamie Sykes (1-51 from 8) and Jones (1-25 from 4) were also in the wickets.

Attiq Chishti top-scored with 56 for Unicorns while Sean Park (50) and Jayden Levitt (49) also played nicely.