Cricket

Leicestershire's resilience and Peter Handscomb's resolute half-century thwarted Gloucestershire's valiant attempt to secure victory on the final day of their County Championship Division Two encounter at Bristol.Resuming on 41 without loss, Leicestershire's openers, Rishi Patel and Ian Holland, extended their partnership to 142, with Patel reaching a composed half-century. However, his attempt to repeat his six-hitting heroics proved costly, as he was caught on the boundary.Despite the setback, Holland and Lewis Hill continued to chip away at Gloucestershire's lead. However, Hill's dismissal and Ajinkya Rahane's unfortunate catch off Zaman Akhter raised Gloucestershire's hopes. Holland's painstaking half-century was also cut short by Akhter's brilliance.With Leicestershire 180 for 4, Handscomb and Rehan Ahmed steadied the ship with a 63-run stand. Ahmed's departure brought Louis Kimber to the crease, who joined Handscomb in a composed partnership.Handscomb reached an untroubled half-century, guiding Leicestershire to a comfortable position. The final session saw Handscomb and Kimber remain unfazed, despite Price's slow turn. With the floodlights illuminating the ground, the umpires deemed the light insufficient, ending the match with Leicestershire on 304 for 5.The draw was a fair reflection of the placid Bristol pitch, which offered little assistance to bowlers throughout the four-day contest. Gloucestershire earned 16 points from the game, while Leicestershire secured 13.

Gloucestershire's Ben Charlesworth produced a magnificent century to lead a spirited fightback against Leicestershire on the second day of their Vitality County Championship Second Division clash at Bristol.Charlesworth, 23, notched his second first-class ton off 164 balls, adorned with 14 fours and three sixes, as Gloucestershire reached 227 for 3 by the time bad light ended play seven overs early. James Bracey remained unbeaten on 34.Leicestershire had earlier posted 402 all out, with Liam Trevaskis (50) and Tom Scriven (60) contributing valuable runs. Zaman Akhter claimed 3 for 110 for Gloucestershire.Despite the blustery conditions, Charlesworth and Cameron Bancroft put together a solid opening stand of 50. Bancroft departed for 39, but Charlesworth continued to impress, reaching his half-century off 96 deliveries.Ollie Price joined Charlesworth and made a brief contribution of six before edging to wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb. However, Charlesworth and Hammond put on a 65-run partnership, with Hammond showcasing some flamboyant shots.Green provided a crucial breakthrough, trapping Hammond lbw for 29. Charlesworth survived a scare on 77 but soon reached his century with two towering sixes off Trevaskis.Bracey provided steady support, but with rain looming, it remains to be seen if either team can force a decisive result on a pitch that has favored the batters.

Leicestershire's Ian Holland notched up his fifth first-class century, guiding the team to a respectable 291 for 7 on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship Second Division clash against Gloucestershire at Bristol.Holland, 33, played a pivotal role, scoring 104 off 173 deliveries, including 15 boundaries and a six. He received valuable support from Rehan Ahmed (60) and Rishi Patel (47) as Leicestershire capitalized on the 67 overs they had after losing the toss.Despite a green pitch, Gloucestershire's five-man seam attack, led by Marchant de Lange (2 for 58) and Zaman Akhter (2 for 86), failed to make significant inroads due to its slow nature.The match faced interruptions due to a wet outfield, with play commencing at 11.30 am and an early lunch being enforced after just 3.1 overs. A 1.30 pm restart saw 18 overs lost.Holland and Patel displayed confidence against the new ball, with Holland surviving an edge off Ajeet Singh Dale and Patel escaping a nick off Akhter. Patel's innings was cut short when he edged de Lange to wicketkeeper James Bracey.Lewis Hill's dismissal at 77 for two was followed by a missed chance by Gloucestershire, with Ajinkya Rahane benefiting from a dropped catch between Bracey and first slip. However, Rahane's luck ran out soon after, gloving a delivery from Dom Goodman to Cameron Bancroft at second slip.Holland reached his half-century off 100 balls, driving a wide half-volley from de Lange for four. Leicestershire were well-placed at tea, with 139 for three from 36 overs.Holland continued his positive approach after the break, uppercutting de Lange for six. Peter Handscomb's hopes of success against his former county were dashed when he was trapped lbw by Ben Charlesworth for five.Holland's innings featured some impressive shots, including a boundary through extra cover off Akhter and another through point in the same over. Rehan joined the party, hitting a six and a four off Akhter to take Leicestershire past 200.Holland reached his century with a square cut boundary off Singh Dale, while Rehan reached his fifty with a straight six off Ollie Price. However, Holland's attempt at another uppercut off Singh Dale resulted in his dismissal, caught at deep backward point.Rehan's entertaining innings ended when he edged Akhter to Bancroft at second slip. Harry Kimber's dismissal to de Lange gave Gloucestershire a strong finish to the day.With four more overs lost to bad light, Leicestershire ended the day on 291 for 7, with 29 overs lost in total.

Somerset's Lewis Goldsworthy starred with a career-best 115 not out as they secured a 23-run victory over Leicestershire Foxes in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup semi-final at Taunton.Goldsworthy's brilliant 86-ball knock, featuring five sixes and six fours, propelled Somerset to a formidable 334 for 4 after they were put in to bat. James Rew (71) and Andy Umeed (57) also made significant contributions.Leicestershire's chase was anchored by Peter Handscomb's 111 off 86 balls, but they ultimately fell short, finishing on 311 for 9. Ben Cox (49) provided support, but Somerset's bowlers, led by Ben Green's 3-63, kept the Foxes at bay.Somerset's openers, Umeed and George Thomas, laid a solid foundation with a 91-run stand. However, Thomas departed for 47, and Umeed followed for 57. Goldsworthy and Rew then took control, accelerating the scoring rate and putting on 120 runs for the third wicket.Goldsworthy reached his century off 79 deliveries and continued to punish the Leicestershire bowlers, while Rew contributed a valuable 71 before being caught on the boundary. Skipper Sean Dickson and Green added quickfire cameos to boost Somerset's total.Leicestershire's reply began promisingly with Sol Budinger and Ian Holland putting on 54. However, Budinger's dismissal triggered a collapse, with Green removing Lewis Hill and Holland in quick succession. Ajinkya Rahane's departure left Leicestershire reeling at 106 for 4.Handscomb kept the chase alive with a superb century, but Somerset's bowlers maintained the pressure. Aldridge's economical spell and wickets of Cox, Kimber, and Trevaskis proved crucial. Handscomb's dismissal with 42 runs still needed effectively ended Leicestershire's hopes.Somerset will now face Glamorgan in the final at Trent Bridge on September 22, aiming to lift the One-Day Cup for the first time since 2019.

Leicestershire's hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup received a major boost as they defeated previously unbeaten Glamorgan by nine runs. Australian international Peter Handscomb played a pivotal role in the victory, rescuing Leicestershire from a precarious position with a superb century.Chasing a target of 272, Glamorgan's pursuit was hampered by the loss of both openers in the first nine overs. Colin Ingram's top score of 68 kept the Welsh side in contention, but a career-best 61 from Dan Douthwaite ultimately proved insufficient.Leicestershire's innings had also been far from straightforward. After losing five wickets for just 59 runs, Handscomb and Liam Trevaskis combined for a crucial 103-run partnership. Handscomb's 103 off 91 balls proved to be the backbone of Leicestershire's total, while Trevaskis contributed 47 with the bat and 4 for 54 with the ball.Glamorgan's hopes were dealt a significant blow when Ingram was dismissed by Trevaskis with 75 runs still required. Douthwaite's valiant effort kept the contest alive, but Roman Walker's three wickets in quick succession sealed the victory for Leicestershire.The result leaves Leicestershire on 10 points, one behind Glamorgan and Warwickshire. Both Glamorgan and Warwickshire have already secured quarter-final berths, while Leicestershire's fate will be determined in their final group match against Gloucestershire.

Surrey's dismal run of five consecutive defeats in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup came to an end with a resounding 17-run victory over Leicestershire at the Oval. The triumph was largely due to the heroics of Dom Sibley, who notched his second century in three matches.Sibley, who had previously scored 149 against Warwickshire and 72 versus Nottinghamshire, continued his impressive form with a masterful 105. He shared a 138-run opening stand with Ryan Patel (72) and a 111-run partnership with Ben Geddes (61) to propel Surrey to a formidable total of 296 for 6.Despite losing five wickets in the final eight overs, Surrey's total proved too much for Leicestershire. Sol Budinger, the competition's leading run-scorer, kept the Foxes in the hunt with a valiant 70, while Tom Scriven's career-best 55 raised hopes of a thrilling finish.However, leg-spinner Cameron Steel proved to be the match-winner for Surrey, claiming 3 for 48. All-rounders Ian Holland (2 for 50) and Scriven (2 for 51) also impressed with the ball, while 19-year-old seamer Sam Wood made a promising List A debut with 1 for 34.The Foxes' chase got off to a shaky start as they lost openers Holland and Lewis Hill cheaply. Ajinkya Rahane was dropped on four but failed to capitalize, falling for 27. Budinger and Peter Handscomb shared a 48-run partnership, but both fell to Steel, leaving Leicestershire in a precarious position.Trevaskis and Cox departed in quick succession, leaving Scriven and Wood to keep the contest alive. Scriven hit two sixes in a 45-run eighth-wicket stand with Wood, but Steel's stunning catch at backward point ended Scriven's resistance and sealed the victory for Surrey.With three wins from five, Leicestershire's hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stages remain alive, but they face an uphill battle with Group B leaders Warwickshire and Glamorgan both boasting five wins from five.

Warwickshire continued their impressive start to the Metrobank One Day Cup with a dominant eight-wicket victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road. Skipper Ed Barnard starred with the ball, claiming four wickets, while teenager Hamza Shaikh anchored the chase with an unbeaten 34.After winning the toss, Barnard opted to field first and his decision proved inspired. He dismissed Harry Swindells and Sol Budinger in quick succession, before trapping India Test star Ajinkya Rahane leg before wicket. Craig Miles then joined the party, picking up three wickets as Leicestershire collapsed to 40 for 4.Ben Cox and Ben Mike briefly threatened a recovery, but their dismissals sparked another collapse. Leicestershire were eventually bowled out for a paltry 88 in just 25.4 overs.Warwickshire's reply began poorly as Chris Wright removed both openers cheaply. However, Rhodes and Shaikh steadied the ship with a composed partnership. Shaikh, in particular, impressed with his maturity and shot selection.The pair put on an unbeaten 85-run stand to guide Warwickshire to victory with 32.4 overs to spare. Rhodes finished on 48 not out, while Shaikh remained unbeaten on 34.Warwickshire's victory was their second in as many matches, while Leicestershire suffered their first defeat of the competition. The Bears will now face Derbyshire in their next match, while Leicestershire will take on Nottinghamshire.

Leicestershire's depleted squad defied the odds to secure their first victory of the Division Two season, crushing Middlesex by 123 runs at Grace Road. Despite missing key players due to injury and unavailability, Lewis Hill's team showcased resilience and determination to inflict Middlesex's first defeat of the campaign.After being dismissed for a paltry 86 in their first innings, Leicestershire rallied to post a formidable 372 in their second, thanks to crucial contributions from Ben Green (77) and Harry Goldsworthy (75). Middlesex's chase of 466 proved insurmountable, as they were bowled out for 342.The decisive moment came after tea, when Middlesex's leading runscorers, Leus Du Plooy (60) and Ryan Higgins (41), were dismissed in quick succession. Ben Mike, on loan from Somerset, played a pivotal role with eight wickets in the match, including three in the second innings. Green also impressed with four wickets and a valuable 77 runs.Middlesex skipper Toby Roland-Jones offered late resistance with a swashbuckling 59 off 33 balls, including eight sixes. However, his efforts proved futile as Leicestershire secured the victory with a catch on the mid-wicket boundary.The win was a testament to Leicestershire's fighting spirit and the contributions of their unsung heroes. Mike and Green emerged as match-winners, while the entire team displayed unwavering determination to overcome adversity. Middlesex, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their performance and will need to regroup for their upcoming fixtures.

Leicestershire's bowlers dominated the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Middlesex, dismissing the visitors for a paltry 86 and establishing a commanding lead of 133 runs.Ben Mike and loan signing Ben Green were the stars of the show for Leicestershire, sharing nine wickets between them. Mike, a 22-year-old seamer, claimed a career-best 5-22, while Green, a 26-year-old all-rounder, took 4-28.Earlier, Middlesex's Ryan Higgins and Toby Roland-Jones had led the way with the ball, dismissing Leicestershire for 179. Lewis Goldsworthy and Lewis Hill had shared a 65-run partnership for the third wicket, but a collapse from 82 for 2 to 126 for 8 was rescued by fast bowler Scott Currie's unbeaten 34.Middlesex's batting woes continued in their second innings, as they lost three wickets before tea and another three shortly after the resumption. Green was particularly impressive, bowling with pace and accuracy to claim four wickets.Leicestershire extended their lead to 133 by reaching the close at 40 for 1, with Sol Budinger the only batsman dismissed.The match is evenly poised heading into day two, but Leicestershire will be confident of securing a victory after their impressive bowling performance.