SECOND XI REPORT: Lancashire and Leicestershire share the spoils
Louis Kimber made the second highest-ever score in the history of the Second XI T20 competition with a stunning 153 off 75 balls to lead his side to a 71-run victory in the opening match of today’s doubleheader at Blackpool before Lancashire hit back with a good all-round performance to win the second match by eight wickets.
MATCH 1
In the first game Kimber came to the crease to face the third ball of the innings after Charlie Barnard had spun his second delivery past Harry Swindells’ defensive push to hit off stump.
The Leicestershire skipper hit his third delivery for four and that was to be the first of an incredible 25 times Kimble reached the boundary with 11 of those sailing over the ropes for six, mostly in the arc between long-on and midwicket but one a memorable reverse sweep off the spin of Harry Singh.
The Red Rose bowlers did take nine wickets, including 4-37 by Tom Aspinwall who finally accounted for Kimber when the visitors captain nicked a pull behind to wicketkeeper Jack Carney with three balls of the 20th over left.
Kimber’s landmarks of 50, 100 and 150 runs came off 26, 45 and 73 balls respectively and his 153 is only bettered in this competition by an unbeaten 165 by Chris Dent for Gloucestershire against Warwickshire last year.
Kimber’s dominance was such that the next highest score in the Leicestershire innings of 221-9 was 30 off 14 balls (3x6, 2x4) by Amrit Singh Basra.
Lancashire’s attempt to chase down their big target started reasonably well with partnerships of 51 between Kesh Fonseka (34 off 33 balls) and Rocky Flintoff (23 off 21) for the second wicket and 30 by Fonseka and Singh (20 off 11) for the third.
But the loss of three wickets for 1 run just after the midway point of the innings ended those ambitions with the hosts on 93-5 by the 12th over and the required rate soaring past 17 runs per over with Lancashire finishing their 20 overs well short on 150-8.
TEAMS – MATCH 1
Lancashire
Kesh Fonseka, Jack Lees, Harry Singh, Rocky Flintoff, Tom Aspinwall (capt), Jack Carney (wkt), Charlie Barnard, Mitch Stanley, Arav Shetty, Gennaro Reddy, Josh Boyden.
Leicestershire
Harry Swindells (wkt), Louis Kimber (capt), Sheridon Gumbs, Amrit Singh Basra, Matt Salisbury, Sam Wood, Roman Walker, Julius Sumerauer, George Maddy, Jay Singh Madan, Mohammed Minhas.
MATCH 2
Kimber found himself at the crease in the first over once more when George Maddy fell to Tom Aspinwall’s fourth ball, but the Leicestershire captain was unable to repeat his opening match fireworks, slicing Charlie Barnard to Rocky Flintoff at backward point for 26.
Harry Swindells’ 40 off 29 balls proved to be the top score of the innings and once he departed lbw to the excellent Barnard (3-17) and Harry Singh trapped Jay Singh Madan in front in the next over, Leicestershire were struggling at 74-6 in the 10th over.
Although Sheridon Gumbs with 27 helped the visitors just about double that total, further wickets for Singh (3-22) and Tom Aspinwall (2-21) saw Leicestershire stumble to a below-par 141 all out four balls into the 19th over.
A 96-run opening partnership off 64 balls between Jack Lees and Kesh Fonseka meant the outcome of the match was in little doubt by the time left-hander Lees fell for 60 off 40 balls having hit 2 sixes and 7 fours.
Fonseka followed two overs later for 34 off 28 balls (1 six, 2 fours) but Michael Jones with an unbeaten run-a-ball 22 and Flintoff (20 not out) made short work of scoring the 39 runs required, with Flintoff finishing the game with two straight sixes in 3 balls off Amrit Singh Basra to clinch the win with Lancashire 147-2 and having 13 balls to spare.
The Second XI continue their T20 campaign with a trip to Headingley to play a doubleheader against Yorkshire next Tuesday (May 27).
TEAMS – MATCH 2
Lancashire
Kesh Fonseka, Jack Lees, Harry Singh, Michael Jones, Rocky Flintoff, Tom Aspinwall (capt), Jack Carney (wkt), Charlie Barnard, Arav Shetty, Hassan Mughal, Josh Boyden.
Leicestershire
George Maddy (wkt), Harry Swindells, Louis Kimber (capt), Sheridon Gumbs, Amrit Singh Basra, Roman Walker, Julius Sumerauer, Jay Singh Madan, Jamie Dunk, Mohammed Minhas, Corby Dyer.