SECOND XI REPORT: Four wickets for Barnard as Leicestershire game ends as a draw
Scores: Lancashire 1st innings: 448 all out (110.1 overs) Arav Shetty 139, George Bell 91, Ollie Sutton 67. Ali Farooq 3-91.
Leicestershire 1st innings: 445-9 dec (108.3 overs) Sheridon Gumbs 132, Jonny Tattersall 123, George Bell 3-51.
Lancashire 2nd innings 194 all out (62.2 overs) Joe Moores 40, Ali Farooq 3-8.
Leicestershire 2nd innings: 99-7 (27 overs) Charlie Barnard 4-22.
Match Drawn
Lancashire and Leicestershire produced an exciting draw on the final day of their Second XI Friendly at Grace Road, but it was rain that had the final say with the hosts 99-7 in their second innings in pursuit of a 198-run target when the game ended with 13 overs remaining.
On an eventful day, new Lancashire Second XI Coach Dan Salpietro even found himself on the pitch as a sub fielder after Lancashire lost two players to the first team. Arav Shetty travelled to Bristol after the close of play on day three but the more unexpected call up came on the fourth morning when Ollie Sutton departed Grace Road to replace the injured Ajeet Singh Dale, leaving the Second XI with just ten players – effectively a Second X.
Resuming their second innings on 25-0 and leading by 28, Lancashire lost Rian Maisuria early for 10 edging behind off Josh Davey, but Kesh Fonseka and George Bell had moved the score up to 65 before Fonseka edged a drive behind off Pip Jackson for 36.
Bell was bowled by Liam Trevaskis for 27 but a nicely constructed partnership of 59 between Rocky Flintoff and Joe Moores took Lancashire into a good position on 137-3 as lunch approached.
Flintoff, who had earlier hit Trevaskis for a straight six, perished to the left arm spinner in the last over before the break, top edging a sweep to wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall for 26 and the remaining wickets fell steadily when play resumed.
George Harris was run out attempting a sharp single while Moores, who top-scored with 40 from 51 balls, edged a drive off Davey to first slip meaning three wickets had fallen for 5 runs.
Left arm spinner Farooq worked his way through the final three wickets with Lancashire, one man short, bowled out for 194 setting Leicestershire a victory target of 198 off 40 overs.
The Red Rose attack struck early, Charlie Parkinson trapping Jamie Dunk lbw for 5 while Tom Walker had first innings centurion Tattersall caught behind for 8 to have Leicestershire 18-2 at tea.
Trevaskis pulled Parkinson to Fonseka at midwicket for 4 at the start of the final session before Barnard’s four wickets swung the game in Lancashire’s favour.
Sheridon Gumbs was lbw reverse sweeping for 24, Davey (17) and Wood (4) both fell to Salpietro catches and Sol Budinger was bowled for 8, also reverse sweeping, to leave Leicestershire struggling on 93-7.
But just as the game was heading to an exciting finish, rain arrived to end the match.
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