County Championship: Leicestershire beaten by Gloucestershire
Saturday 18 July 2015 20:06, UK
Craig Miles took three wickets as Gloucestershire cruised to a 155-run win over Leicestershire at Cheltenham.
The visitors had been set 325 to claim only their second win of the LV= County Championship Division Two season, but their batsmen were constantly undone and defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table.
Leicestershire resumed on 11-0 but Miles soon had them in trouble with wickets from back-to-back deliveries, bowling Angus Robson for six and then having Ned Eckersley caught by Michael Klinger first ball.
Matt Boyce and Mark Cosgrove put on 41 for the third wicket but again one wicket brought two, Boyce being trapped in front by Kieran Noema-Barnett for 22 and four runs later Cosgrove departing for 24 off the bowling of Benny Howell.
Leicestershire slumped to 73-5 when Greg Smith (4) was dismissed by James Fuller, and Miles returned to claim the sixth wicket when wicketkeeper Lewis Hill (10) picked out sub fielder Miles Hammond.
Some resistance finally arrived after lunch, with Aadil Ali and Ben Raine putting on 54 for the seventh wicket.
But their stand was ended in unfortunate fashion when, after having hit Jack Taylor for a straight six, Ali's next powerful shot down the ground was deflected onto the stumps by the spinner and Raine was stranded out of his crease.
Ali added another six, over mid-wicket, to move on to 41, but off the very next ball holed out to Fuller at mid-off.
Jigar Naik followed next ball, caught at leg-slip and though Charlie Shreck was dropped at slip by Klinger off Noema Barnett in the 64th over, the game was over when Liam Norwell had Clint McKay caught behind for 18 with the scoreboard reading 169.
The victory earned Gloucestershire 20 points and moved them into fourth place on 119 - bottom placed Leicestershire have 76 and are 11 points behind Kent, who also have a game in hand.
Alex Hughes made his maiden first-class century as Derbyshire made a healthy first innings 361 on the opening day of their match against Northamptonshire.
Hughes century, made from 141 balls with 17 boundaries, steered his side away from trouble and to a solid total having opted to bat first at Wantage Road.
Hughes arrived at the crease with his side in a tricky spot at 148 for four but eventually Hughes found a willing partner in Harvey Hosein.
The pair shared a stand of 76 for the seventh wicket and Derbyshire went on to enjoy much the better of the first day's play, particularly when Mark Footitt dismissed Ben Duckett for a golden duck as Northamptonshire came out to face two overs before the close.
