Rain and then bad light meant only seven overs were possible on the final day of Northamptonshire’s Specsavers Championship Division Two match against Leicestershire at Grace Road, which ended in a draw.
With the entire third day’s play having also been lost to the weather, the umpires’ decision to start play at 4.30pm – with a maximum of 24 overs remaining in the game – surprised some. The Foxes did pick up a wicket, Clint McKay bowling Ben Duckett with an in-swinger in the first over, but Jake Libby and Alex Wakely survived until the gloomy conditions forced the early close with the County 30-1 chasing a nominal target of 314 following the hosts’ overnight declaration.
Leicestershire skipper Mark Cosgrove, who had declined to enforce the follow-on after his side had bowled Northamptonshire out in just 46.3 overs on the second day, defended his decision.
“If we’d known we were going to get two days washed out we probably would [have enforced the follow-on], but with the pitch going the way it was going, with the odd ball going underground, we wanted to bat again and put them under pressure on the last day.
“Overall though, we’re very happy with where we’re at, because we were driving the game as we have in all four our matches so far. We’ve been unlucky with the weather, but it’s a long season, and if we keep playing the same way we feel we’ll keep challenging at the top of the division until the end.”
****Rain washed out play in Northamptonshire’s Second Eleven Championship match against Lancashire at Desborough for the second day running.