Leicestershire grateful for an additional Harry Swindells rescue act

Yorkshire 155 and 113 for 1 (Lyth 51*) lead Leicestershire 223 (Swindells 73, Hill 4-63) by 35 runs

Harry Swindells, the unlikely hero as Leicestershire picked up their first silverware in 12 years final weekend, saved alive their hopes of a return to Division One within the LV= Insurance County Championship for the primary time in 20 years on day three in opposition to Yorkshire at Grace Road.

Fresh from his match-winning 117 not out in Saturday’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup closing – his first List A sport of the season – Swindells top-scored with 73 in his first look of the yr within the Foxes’ red-ball workforce to safe a probably beneficial lead on this rain-affected match, albeit one which Yorkshire have chalked off for the lack of one wicket.

Swindells shared a Tenth-wicket partnership of 93 with Will Davis, who added a career-best unbeaten 44 to his 4 for 28 with the ball, as Leicestershire recovered from 140 for 9 to be bowled out for 233 in reply to Yorkshire’s 155. They had earlier been teetering at 97 for six as Yorkshire seamer George Hill took 4 for 69.

Openers Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean continued their prolific type with their fourth 100-plus partnership of the season as Yorkshire closed 35 runs in entrance on 113 for 1, Bean having been bowled by Tom Scriven providing no shot. Rain and dangerous gentle value an extra 25 overs on the day.

Leicestershire have two matches wherein to overturn a deficit of 21 factors behind second-placed Worcestershire if they’re to hitch already-promoted Durham in Division One subsequent season. A win on this match can be value 19 factors.

Frustrated by dangerous gentle on the primary night and an entire washout on day two, it took Leicestershire solely three deliveries on the third morning to snare the final Yorkshire wicket, Ben Cox taking a wise one-handed catch as Scriven dismissed Jordan Thompson to complete with 3 for 27.

Yet till Swindells and Davis got here collectively, Leicestershire appeared to have wasted a chance to place themselves in a dominant place.

On a pitch that appeared no picnic to bat on, not less than within the early a part of the day, the house aspect suffered a setback two balls into their reply when Rishi Patel was given out leg earlier than to Ben Coad regardless of getting ahead a few good paces, however skipper Lewis Hill appeared decided that Coad and new-ball accomplice Thompson wouldn’t be calling the pictures.

Hill rattled off eight boundaries within the subsequent 9 overs as he and Sam Evans added 57 for the second wicket. But after his namesake George changed Coad within the first change, Yorkshire seized the initiative.

The former England Under-19 seamer’s first over conceded three of these eight boundaries, albeit one off a streaky inside edge, however he had the right-hander caught behind pushing at one within the subsequent over and his dismissal prompted a Leicestershire collapse.

From 58 for 1, they had been 97 for six by lunch. Sam Evans and Umar Amin had been leg earlier than to Hill, the latter extra convincingly than the previous, earlier than Bean caught Louis Kimber at third slip through second slip Lyth’s chest as 20-year-old Ben Cliff struck with the fourth ball of his second first-class match. In the final over of the session, Cox turned the fourth batter to see umpire Neil Pratt’s finger raised as Hill claimed his fourth wicket.

Scriven, on 2, was dropped twice off consecutive Coad deliveries quickly after lunch, each put down by Lyth at second slip. He and Swindells appeared to regular the ship, just for three wickets within the house of seven balls to threaten handy Yorkshire a first-innings lead. Lyth held a way more troublesome catch to dismiss Scriven off Thompson, who despatched Chris Wright’s off stump right into a cartwheel two balls later earlier than Cliff bowled Scott Currie.

Yet it turned out Swindells was within the temper for extra heroic deeds, main an equally assertive Davis in a report Tenth wicket stand for Leicestershire in opposition to Yorkshire, beating the mark of 70 set by George Geary and Alec Skelton in 1927, when the counties met at Leicestershire’s unique residence floor in Aylestone Road.

Picking up most of his runs sq. of the wicket, Swindells accomplished a 57-ball half century containing seven fours. Davis hit seven boundaries to move his earlier better of 42 in opposition to Kent right here two years in the past earlier than Swindells feathered a catch behind off Matthew Revis, with a helpful 78-run lead within the financial institution.

Both Davis and Swindells are out of contract on the finish of the season and have but to study if they are going to be supplied new ones.

Source web site: www.espncricinfo.com

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