| Scorecard: | Lancashire v Leicestershire |
Summary for Day 2
What do watching paint dry, and watching Leicestershire have in common? Answer - Nothing - Watching paint dry is exciting. Watching Leicestershire's negative bowling and second rate cricket players is boring! Why did Lancashire only score 73 runs in the first session? Answer - They were unable to hit 50% of the deliveries on offer. Captain DeFreitas posted an 8-2 field and asked his bowlers to pitch the ball 2 foot outside off stump - no wonder Leicestershire are rooted to the bottom of division one. Thankfully. Lancashire's batsmen gave the visitors a total hiding after the lunch interval - superb entertainment for another excellent crowd. Maximum batting points were attained shortly before tea thus allowing captain Hegg to declare with in excess of 500 on the board. A combination of probing bowling, super ground fielding and some indifferent strokes, ensured that by 7pm only one team was likely to win - serves Leicester right!
Bowling Performance of the Day
Peter Martin captured two late wickets to put Lancashire in complete control of the game. Brad Hodge offered no shot to a shin high delivery on off stump and was rightfully adjudged leg before. Nightwatchman (Masters) pushed a lifting leg side delivery straight to Iain Sutcliffe at short leg - another top class catch. Martin finished the day with 2 for 36 from 11 overs.
Batting Performance of the Day
All of Lancashire's top 6 scored at least 50 runs - what a pleasant change compared to last season. Chilton scored his 7th first class hundred, Law smashed 82, Hooper blazed 74. However, Flintoff's 71 not out from just 55 balls was the performance of the day - what a pity Lancashire needed to declare - the crowd were really enjoying themselves.
Fielding Performance of the Day
Mark Chilton saved numerous runs in the covers late on in the day. Lancashire's ground fielding was excellent once again. Carl Hooper's catch at second slip to remove Sehwag was spectacular. (Ankle high slightly to his right and travelling very fast)
Highlights of the Day
- Listening to White Christmas on the tannoy system before the game - whilst funny, it was highly embarrassing for the players, and a poor reflection on the club
- Andrew Flintoff's 71 runs from 55 balls - every spectator needed to have their wits about them as the ball flew into the crowd regularly.
- Watching Mark Chilton score his third hundred of the season - 229 balls (19 x 4).
- Watching Law and Hooper ripping the visitors second rate bowling attack to pieces after lunch - they scored runs for fun!
Lowlights of the Day
- Leicestershire's over rate was extremely slow.
- Leicestershire's bowling tactics were a disgrace - no wonder they are bottom of the league. Lets hope division 2 beckons.
- Flintoff's late drop to allow Maddy to survive.
Contentious Discussion Point of the Day
Should the umpires have intervened during the morning session when Leicestershire persisted in bowling wide of the off-stump.
Key Notes of the Day
- Loye caught Stevens bowled Dagnall 54 - 211 for 2 in the 64th over - Chilton 87*
- 100 Chilton from 210 balls (18 x 4) - 238 for 2 in the 74th over - Law 12*
- 252 for 2 in the 78th over - Chilton 107* Law 20*
- Chilton lbw bowled Brignull 108 (kept low) - 254 for 3 in the 80th over - Law 20*
- 1 over lost to rain between 12.55pm and 1pm due to light shower
- Lunch - 283 for 3 from 91 overs - Law 44* Hooper 3* - Session - 73 for 2 from 30.2 overs
- Law 47 dropped (tough caught & bowled chance) - 285 for 3 in the 93rd over - Hooper 3*
- 50 Law from 99 balls (9 x 4) - 294 for 4 in the 95th over - Hooper 7*
- 300 for 3 in the 98th over - Law 51 Hooper 12*
- 50 partnership - 304 for 3 in the 99th over - Law 51* Hooper 16*
- New ball taken in the 101st over
- 50 Hooper from 72 balls (2 x 6 & 8 x 4) 353 for 3 in the 103rd over - Law 63*
- 100 partnership - 357 for 3 in the 103rd over - Hooper 57* Law 63*
- 88 runs scored from 13 overs after lunch - 371 for 3 in the 104th over
- Law caught Nixon bowled Maddy (Leg side catch) 82 - 377 for 4 in the 106th over
- Hooper caught Stevens bowled Maddy 74 - 394 for 5 in the 108th over - Flintoff 1*
- 405 for 5 in the 110th over - Flintoff 6* - Maximum batting points secured
- Chapple caught Masters bowled Brignull 15 - 436 for 6 in the 118th over - Flintoff 28*
- 453 for 6 in the 123rd over - Flintoff 38* Hegg 7*
- 50 Flintoff from 45 balls (6 x 4 & 1 x 6) - 466 for 6 in the 124th over - Hegg 8*
- 50 partnership - 490 for 6 in the 127th over - Flintoff 58* Hegg 23*
- 4.15pm - 503 for 6 declared in the 128th over - Flintoff 71* Hegg 23* - Tea taken
- Session score 220 for 3 from 36.4 overs.
- 36 overs remaining to be bowled during the day
- Maunders caught Flintoff bowled Mahmood 16 - 41 for 1 in the 14th over
- 50 for 1 in the 16th over
- Sehwag caught Hooper bowled Chapple 30 - 59 for 2 in the 17th over
- Maddy 7 dropped by Keedy (Tough chance) - 72 for 2 in the 28th over - Hodge 6*
- 102 for 2 in the 31st over - Maddy 20* Hodge 23*
- Hodge lbw bowled Martin (No shot offered) 26 - 105 for 3 in the 33rd over - Maddy 20*
- Nightwatchman sent in to bat - Masters
- Maddy 24 dropped Flintoff (1st slip) - 109 for 3 in the 34th over - Masters 0*
- Masters caught Sutcliffe bowled Martin 0 - 116 for 4 in the 35th over - Maddy 26*
- Close of play - 117 for 4 from 36 overs - Maddy 27* Stevens 0*
- Lancashire 6 points, Leicestershire 2 points
(Article: Copyright © 2004 Neil Adams http://www.cricketimages.co.uk/adams-report/intro.html)
