Leicestershire take early advantage on truncated first day
Today's match report presented by C&C Insurance Brokers
Leicestershire took advantage of favourable bowling conditions on a severely truncated first day in this Rothesay County Championship at Emirates Old Trafford with no play possible after lunch due to rain with Lancashire 61 for three from the 31 overs possible.
Peter Handscomb had little hesitation when choosing to bowl at the toss and the visitors skipper would have been delighted as his bowlers made early inroads into the top order of Lancashire’s batting.
Having straight driven Ian Holland for four, Michael Jones was beaten on the inside the edge when the bowler nipped one back to bowl the Red Rose opener for 10.
And Holland found reward for bowling a good line and length that forced the batters to play when he found an edge off Keaton Jennings that was taken by Lewis Hill at first slip for 9.
Josh Bohannon and Marcus Harris dug in as the ball continued to nibble about, Bohannon breaking the shackles with a straight drive for four off Ben Green while Harris followed with a nicely flicked four through square leg in Tom Scriven's opening over.
Conditions played little part in the third wicket to fall, Bohannon on 8 getting a faint touch on a leg glance from the fourth delivery of Ben Mike’s opening over, well taken by wicketkeeper Ben Cox diving to his left.
And in what were difficult batting conditions, it could have been worse for Lancashire with Matty Hurst twice dropped on 1 by Cox diving low to his right and on 3 by Rehan Ahmed at third slip from a more straightforward offering.
Hurst responded positively with a nicely punched drive for four off Ben Green in the last over before lunch, and that proved to be the last action of the day.
Rain arrived bang on cue at 1.40pm as the afternoon session was about to start, with play eventually abandoned for the day at 4.30pm leaving Harris on 19 and Hurst 13 not out.
Ken Grime
Photos: Luke Adams & Dan Adams
