Half-centuries from Emilio Gay, George Bartlett, and skipper Luke Procter enabled Northamptonshire to shade the opening day of their Vitality County Championship. This match was against Leicestershire, where they finished on 337 for 6.
Gay’s 88 from 110 balls was the day’s most eye-catching batting performance, But Bartlett’s unbeaten 71 and Procter’s 64 from 164 had much to commend them for grittiness as the home side’s bowlers. While expensive in the morning, did eventually make them work hard for their gains.
Leicestershire made the visitors work hard for their runs but not once in the day did a breakthrough prompt a flurry of quick wickets.
Leicestershire’s Bowlers Face Challenges
Scott Currie and Tom Scriven finished with two wickets each. Yet, on-loan seamer Ben Green was unlucky not to have any success. Meanwhile, England leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, returning to county duty for his second appearance of the season. He did an impressive job when it was difficult to score against.
Gay was the dominant figure in a morning session in which Northamptonshire was the clear winner. Leicestershire, who also recalled Matt Salisbury for the injured Ben Mike, made only one breakthrough after skipper Lewis Hill had won the toss.
By lunch, they had 128 on the board but had surrendered one wicket. Leicestershire’s Vasconcelos lost his off stump to an inswinging ball from Scriven but Gay, though a little streaky on two or three occasions, particularly against Scriven, had looked in serious trouble. Only when Currie backed up a brilliant stop at third slip with a shy at the stumps that would have run him out for 41 had it hit.
Steady Partnership Against Leicestershire
The 24-year-old left-hander cashed in two matches ago. With a career-best 261 against a Middlesex attack struggling with the Kookaburra. He reached 52 from 61 balls and looked good for a sixth career hundred here.
However, after increasing his boundary count to 16 against Leicestershire. He fell on 88 soon after lunch when Currie pushed one through with some extra pace and bowled him off an inside edge.
The visitors suffered another blow when their Indian Test batter Karun Nair, who also has a double-hundred under his belt this season, was dismissed for 18, Salisbury finding a thin outside edge to have him caught at first slip, via the gloves of ‘keeper Ben Cox.
Leicestershire bowled with better control in the middle session than they had before lunch, with Currie in particular bowling some impressive spells that deserved more success. Yet they found themselves up against two solid adversaries in Procter.
With Ahmed growing to his task as a foil, giving little away from the pavilion end. And Currie continued to bend his back at the Bennett End. Pressure continued to build on the fourth-wicket pair after tea. It was Ahmed who eventually split them. The bowling Procter with a ball the left-hander shaped to cut but did not sit up for the shot.
Also Read: DC Signs Gulbadin Naib in IPL 2024
About the Author
Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer with a love for cricket that shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
