Northants crush local rivals Foxes

Published on Tuesday 22 July 2008 16:35

David Lucas took three wickets as Northamptonshire eased to an eight-wicket victory over East Midlands rivals Leicestershire with a day to spare of their LV County Championship game.

Lucas, who took four wickets in the first innings, received good support from his fellow bowlers as Leicestershire were bowled out for 226.

Visiting captain Paul Nixon was the only batsmen who troubled the bowlers, scoring 73, but his efforts were in vain as Northants easily chalked up the 27 runs required for victory to stay unbeaten in eight Division Two matches.

Requiring 192 runs to avoid an innings defeat, Leicestershire started woefully - slumping to 64 for five before the lower middle order offered some resistance.

Northants captain Nicky Boje made the first breakthrough when Riki Wessels caught Tom New at silly point for 11.

Leicestershire's troubles worsened when Jacques du Toit was caught by David Sales for two, attempting to drive at Wigley.

Andrew Hall came into the attack with instant results, removing Matt Boyce for 31, caught behind by Niall O'Brien.

HD Ackerman became Boje's second victim just before lunch, caught by Hall for six.

Northants had victory in sight when Johan van der Wath removed Boeta Dippenaar for only 15, the batsman caught by wicketkeeper O'Brien after the ball nicked his glove.

But Nixon attacked from the off, hitting his Northants counterpart Boje over mid-wicket for four as Leicestershire moved past 100.

Nixon made the most of short bowling from van der Wath as he smashed the South African for three successive fours.

Jim Allenby and Nixon put on 34 for the seventh wicket before Lucas dismissed Allenby lbw for 22.

The middle-order fightback continued with Tom Smith playing an impressive knock as he and Nixon put on 66 for the eighth wicket.

Smith eventually fell on 31, trapped lbw by Hall.

Nixon was rewarded for his positive approach with a 92-ball half-century as he took the visitors past 200 to ensure Northants would have to bat again.

Van der Wath took the new ball and soon had Claude Henderson back in the pavilion without scoring, as Hall held onto an outside edge at first slip.

Nixon's resistance was broken when he top-edged one to Wigley at fine leg, giving Lucas his third wicket of the innings and leaving Northants requiring 27 for victory.

Smith ensured Northants did not have it all their own way, dismissing O'Brien caught behind by Nixon for three.

Northants suffered a further setback when Stephen Peters fell to Nadeem Malik - caught by Nixon for a duck - but it was too little, too late as Sales (14 not out) and Robert White (12 not out) led the hosts to victory.

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Northants crush local rivals Foxes

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