Cricket

Glamorgan's bowlers put in a commendable performance on the third day of their Vitality County Championship match against Leicestershire, restricting the visitors to 343 for 9 declared and taking a 58-run lead with nine wickets in hand.Despite resuming the day on 280 for 5, Leicestershire lost centurion Peter Handscomb early on. Nightwatchman Scott Currie showed resilience, falling just short of a half-century. Timm van der Gugten, making his season debut after injury, impressed with a five-wicket haul.Glamorgan's reply began with a setback as Billy Root was dismissed for one. However, rain intervened, forcing an early end to the day's play with the home side on 14 for 1.The morning session was curtailed by rain, with only eight overs possible. Handscomb added just one run to his overnight score before being dismissed by Van der Gugten. Leicestershire's subsequent batting approach puzzled observers, as they showed little urgency in chasing batting bonus points.Despite Glamorgan's tight bowling, Leicestershire managed to add only 26 runs in the 17 overs after lunch. Van der Gugten then produced a brilliant caught-and-bowled to remove Ben Cox and bowled Ben Mike to complete his five-for.Leicestershire's declaration, conceding a 44-run lead, raised eyebrows. Glamorgan lost Root early in their second innings, but the rain returned, forcing an early end to the day.

Leicestershire's Peter Handscomb continued his impressive form with a second century of the season, guiding his team to a respectable 280 for five in response to Glamorgan's 387 on day two of their Vitality County Championship clash.Handscomb, who has been in scintillating touch this season, remained unbeaten on 102, anchoring Leicestershire's innings with a composed knock. He shared a crucial 141-run stand with captain Lewis Hill, who contributed a valuable 92.Glamorgan, however, remain in a strong position, holding a 107-run lead and the advantage of bowling with a new ball. Scott Currie had earlier claimed the first five-wicket haul of his first-class career, finishing with impressive figures of five for 64.Leicestershire's chase got off to a shaky start, losing Marcus Harris and Louis Kimber cheaply. Rishi Patel's dismissal left them struggling at 65 for three. However, Hill and Handscomb steadied the ship, weathering a testing spell from Mir Hamza.Hill reached his second half-century of the season, while Handscomb followed suit shortly after. The pitch appeared to flatten out, making batting easier. Hill's dismissal for 92, caught by Billy Root, was a setback for Leicestershire.Ian Holland, making his debut for Leicestershire, helped push the score past the follow-on point. However, he was caught behind after the new ball was taken.Glamorgan's bowlers will be eager to make early inroads on day three, while Leicestershire will aim to build on their solid start and reduce the deficit further.

Peter Handscomb, the experienced Australian batsman, has been appointed as the captain of Leicestershire for the upcoming T20 Blast season. Despite his limited recent exposure to the format, Leicestershire's director of cricket, Claude Henderson, believes Handscomb possesses the necessary qualities to lead the team.Handscomb has only played six matches in the Big Bash League over the past two seasons, but his extensive experience in other formats has convinced Leicestershire that he is the right man for the job. The Foxes are aiming to qualify for T20 Finals Day for the first time since 2011, when they won their third title."I'm very excited to lead this team," said Handscomb. "The balance of the side looks good and hopefully we can perform to the standards we've set ourselves."Handscomb initially joined Leicestershire for six County Championship fixtures last year, but his deal was extended, and he ended up playing five times in the Blast, including three as captain. He signed a two-year extension to cover 2024 and 2025 at the end of last season and is their leading Championship run-scorer this season.Leicestershire won the Metro Bank Cup last year and hope to replicate that success in the T20 Blast. "We showed in the One Day Cup last year what we can do in white-ball cricket, so it's an exciting prospect to try and replicate that in the T20s this year," said Handscomb. "We want to entertain and play a fun brand of cricket."Henderson said: "Pete holds all the necessary qualities we are looking for in a captain. Not only does he possess extensive leadership experience, but he is also an incredibly calm head on the field and a highly respected voice in the changing room."Leicestershire finished bottom of the North Group last summer with two wins from 14 games, but they have added several new players to their squad in the off-season, including Ben Mike, Liam Trevaskis, Scott Currie, and Ben Cox. Wiaan Mulder will also return to the club as their other overseas player, alongside Handscomb. Rehan Ahmed should be available throughout after he was left out of England's T20 World Cup squad.Leicestershire's first Blast fixture is against Yorkshire on May 31. The tournament's group stage runs until July 19, with the quarter-finals and Finals Day due to take place in September.

Middlesex's hopes of a strong start to their Vitality County Championship campaign were dashed by a resilient Leicestershire side, led by Peter Handscomb's century at Lord's.After a rain-soaked opening day, Leicestershire stumbled to 83 for 4 before Handscomb, the former Middlesex skipper, steadied the ship with a patient and determined innings. He shared crucial partnerships with Rehan Ahmed (42) and Tom Scriven (46), guiding the visitors to a respectable total of 306.Middlesex's bowlers struggled to contain Handscomb, who reached his first century at Lord's in 304 minutes and 188 balls. The hosts also dropped both Handscomb and Rehan, which proved costly.Ethan Bamber emerged as the pick of the Middlesex attack, claiming 4 for 68. However, the hosts employed some unconventional field placements, allowing Leicestershire to accumulate runs through the vacant third area.In reply, Middlesex closed the day on 64 for 1, with Mark Stoneman the only wicket to fall. Sam Robson and Max Holden batted through to stumps, giving the hosts a glimmer of hope.The match was preceded by a poignant minute's silence in memory of Worcestershire spinner Josh Baker, who passed away tragically at the age of 20.

Leicestershire and Northamptonshire played out a thrilling draw in their Vitality County Championship Division Two encounter, with both teams showcasing impressive batting performances.Australian Test batter Peter Handscomb and England allrounder Rehan Ahmed starred for Leicestershire, guiding their team to a first-innings total of 452 for 8 declared. Handscomb narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 99, while Ahmed contributed a valuable 85. Louis Kimber (65) and Tom Scriven (54*) also made significant contributions.Northamptonshire had earlier declared their first innings on 453 for 7, with Rob Keogh (126*) and Emilio Gay (88) leading the way. George Scrimshaw and Ben Sanderson were the pick of the Leicestershire bowlers, taking two wickets each.The match was characterized by a high-scoring contest, with both teams taking advantage of the favorable batting conditions. Handscomb and Ahmed put on a 167-run partnership, while Scriven and Scott Currie added 92 for the ninth wicket to secure maximum batting points for Leicestershire.Despite the entertaining batting displays, the match was also marred by a controversial incident involving Northamptonshire captain Luke Procter. Procter was penalized five runs for striking Ahmed with the ball while attempting a run-out. The umpires deemed the action to be "inappropriate or dangerous."In the end, both teams settled for a draw, each claiming 15 points. Leicestershire and Northamptonshire remain winless in Division Two, with all four of their matches so far ending in draws.