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- Jan 13, 2010
Article by Christopher Finch -
The English county season began with a number of intriguing fixtures, including the match at Grace Road between Leicestershire and Glamorgan. The two sides just missed out on promotion to the first division last season, but, both beset by in-fighting over the past few months will be hoping for a quieter year off the field, while building on it.
Glamorgan looked well on course to go up last season, but failed to win any of their last four games, missing out to Worcestershire in the precious second promotion place by only five points, having been 22 ahead with two rounds left to play. A controversial declaration by Sussex on the final day of their match at Worcester saw the Royals chase it down, and sentence the Welsh side to another year in Division Two.
Since then, both Director of Cricket Matthew Maynard, and captain Jamie Dalrymple left the club after South African opening batsman Alviro Peterson was recruited as captain behind their backs.
Meanwhile, the Foxes have seen a player revolt, plus a new coach, chief executive and chairman, yet still managed to finish just nine points short of the second spot last season.
Leicestershire struck the first blow by winning the toss and electing to bowl on a sunny early April morning without a cloud in the sky.
Openers Will Jefferson and Matthew Boyce got the Foxes off to a solid start, the former playing some particularly strong shots through the covers. The pair took the score to 45 before the 6 ft 10 in Jefferson was adjudged lbw to Huw Waters for 23, despite getting a large stride in.
Five maiden overs in a row followed to strangle the home side, and the second wicket fell thanks to a spectacular catch by Will Bragg at second slip, dismissing Boyce for 22.
Glamorgan debutant Graham Wagg claimed his second wicket with the score on 61, as Jacques du Toit left his bat hanging outside off stump to provide a simple catch at slip for Mike Powell.
The final over before lunch saw the introduction in to the attack of Robert Croft, who turns 41 next month, playing his 23rd season of county cricket. His first ball was dispatched for four by James Taylor, as the Foxes reached the interval at 80-3.
The fourth wicket fell less than three overs after the break, as Greg Smith attempted a quick single with a push through the covers, but a great pick up and direct hit from Ben Wright sent the Durham University student back to the pavilion.
The veteran Croft was next to strike in his first over back, clean bowling Tom New for 16, and fellow spinner Dean Cosker dismissed Jigar Naik for 1 to leave the innings in tatters at 125-6.
It got worse for the Foxes as Taylor, who had held firm while wickets tumbled at the other end came charging down the pitch to Cosker, but could only chip the ball to Gareth Rees at short cover for 45.
Tea came and went, as did Nathan Buck, leaving Leicestershire needing something special from their tail at 156-8.
And it was the home side?s veteran spinner that provided the resistance, as 38-year-old Claude Henderson, fresh from winning South Africa?s domestic SuperSport series with Cape Cobras last week hung around with first Nadeem Malik, then captain Matthew Hoggard. He smashed three boundaries off one over from Croft, and brought up his first Championship 50 since September 2009 to take the score past 200. Malik fell to Cosker, who produced a superb marathon spell of 4-33 in 23 overs which wiped out most of the Foxes? lower order.
The new ball was taken, much to the delight of Henderson, who took advantage of some wayward bowling from Wagg and Adam Shantry to add vital runs to the score while shepherding the strike from Hoggard.
The pair survived a couple of scares to reach the close of play at 231-9, something that looked unlikely when the eighth wicket fell at 156. Henderson finished unbeaten on 74, with Hoggard on 12, as the Foxes look to reach the second batting point at 250 early on the second morning.
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The English county season began with a number of intriguing fixtures, including the match at Grace Road between Leicestershire and Glamorgan. The two sides just missed out on promotion to the first division last season, but, both beset by in-fighting over the past few months will be hoping for a quieter year off the field, while building on it.
Glamorgan looked well on course to go up last season, but failed to win any of their last four games, missing out to Worcestershire in the precious second promotion place by only five points, having been 22 ahead with two rounds left to play. A controversial declaration by Sussex on the final day of their match at Worcester saw the Royals chase it down, and sentence the Welsh side to another year in Division Two.
Since then, both Director of Cricket Matthew Maynard, and captain Jamie Dalrymple left the club after South African opening batsman Alviro Peterson was recruited as captain behind their backs.
Meanwhile, the Foxes have seen a player revolt, plus a new coach, chief executive and chairman, yet still managed to finish just nine points short of the second spot last season.
Leicestershire struck the first blow by winning the toss and electing to bowl on a sunny early April morning without a cloud in the sky.
Openers Will Jefferson and Matthew Boyce got the Foxes off to a solid start, the former playing some particularly strong shots through the covers. The pair took the score to 45 before the 6 ft 10 in Jefferson was adjudged lbw to Huw Waters for 23, despite getting a large stride in.
Five maiden overs in a row followed to strangle the home side, and the second wicket fell thanks to a spectacular catch by Will Bragg at second slip, dismissing Boyce for 22.
Glamorgan debutant Graham Wagg claimed his second wicket with the score on 61, as Jacques du Toit left his bat hanging outside off stump to provide a simple catch at slip for Mike Powell.
The final over before lunch saw the introduction in to the attack of Robert Croft, who turns 41 next month, playing his 23rd season of county cricket. His first ball was dispatched for four by James Taylor, as the Foxes reached the interval at 80-3.
The fourth wicket fell less than three overs after the break, as Greg Smith attempted a quick single with a push through the covers, but a great pick up and direct hit from Ben Wright sent the Durham University student back to the pavilion.
The veteran Croft was next to strike in his first over back, clean bowling Tom New for 16, and fellow spinner Dean Cosker dismissed Jigar Naik for 1 to leave the innings in tatters at 125-6.
It got worse for the Foxes as Taylor, who had held firm while wickets tumbled at the other end came charging down the pitch to Cosker, but could only chip the ball to Gareth Rees at short cover for 45.
Tea came and went, as did Nathan Buck, leaving Leicestershire needing something special from their tail at 156-8.
And it was the home side?s veteran spinner that provided the resistance, as 38-year-old Claude Henderson, fresh from winning South Africa?s domestic SuperSport series with Cape Cobras last week hung around with first Nadeem Malik, then captain Matthew Hoggard. He smashed three boundaries off one over from Croft, and brought up his first Championship 50 since September 2009 to take the score past 200. Malik fell to Cosker, who produced a superb marathon spell of 4-33 in 23 overs which wiped out most of the Foxes? lower order.
The new ball was taken, much to the delight of Henderson, who took advantage of some wayward bowling from Wagg and Adam Shantry to add vital runs to the score while shepherding the strike from Hoggard.
The pair survived a couple of scares to reach the close of play at 231-9, something that looked unlikely when the eighth wicket fell at 156. Henderson finished unbeaten on 74, with Hoggard on 12, as the Foxes look to reach the second batting point at 250 early on the second morning.
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