SECOND XI REPORT: Bell hits 91 on opening day against Leicestershire
Day 1: Lancashire 1st innings: 334-6 (86.3 overs) George Bell 91, Arav Shetty 80 not out.
Lancashire reached 334-6 on the opening day of their Second XI friendly with Leicestershire at Grace Road with captain George Bell making 91 and Arav Shetty an unbeaten 80.
The visitors, having won the toss, lost Kesh Fonseka lbw to Pip Jackson for 9 but an 84-run partnership between Rian Maisuria and Bell took Lancashire to 109-1 as lunch approached. Maisuria, having produced some nicely timed drives, bottom edged a pull off seamer Sam Wood onto his stumps for 52, three overs before the interval.
Bell posted his half century off 83 balls soon after the resumption, adding 50 for the third wicket with Rocky Flintoff who fell for 18 when edging behind a back foot drive off Theo Marshall.
Bell then built another useful partnership with Arav Shetty worth 46 but the Lancashire skipper , who hit 13 fours, fell just short of his century when lbw to left arm spinner Liam Trevaskis for 91.
Shetty, who drove left arm spinner Ali Farooq for a straight six early in his innings, added 5 fours in reaching a 73-ball half century soon after tea but lost two partners in quick succession; Joe Moores bowled for 19 by the off spin of Sol Budinger, and George Harris who chipped Farooq to Sheridon Gumbs at cover for 3.
That was the last wicket to fall as Shetty and Ollie Sutton combined in a fruitful 87-run alliance inside 19 overs for the seventh wicket with the ability to add to it tomorrow morning, Sutton having hit two sixes in his 46 not out.
TEAMS
Lancashire
George Bell (capt/wkt), Charlie Barnard, George Brown, Rocky Flintoff, Kesh Fonseka, George Harris, Rian Maisuria, Joe Moores, Arav Shetty, Ollie Sutton, Tom Walker, Charlie Parkinson.
Leicestershire
Sheridon Gumbs, Sol Budinger, Jonny Tattersall (capt/wkt), Jamie Dunk, Usman Minhas, George Maddy, Sam Wood, Josh Davey, Liam Trevaskis, Pip Jackson, Ali Farooq, Theo Marshall.