The home opener is nearly upon us, starting Thursday. Long range forecast up to now looks good, we shouldn’t be thwarted by the weather atleast this week.
Leicestershire managed to salvage a draw last week at home to Worcestershire thanks to 25.4 overs of resistance from final pair Azad and Hendricks. Aside from Azad, who scored bucketfuls of runs a few seasons ago and is a very capable opener, they haven’t got great strength throughout. Lewis Hill made 90 in the first innings but with Ben Mike coming in at 7, they’ve got a very long tail. Chris Wright has a solid FC record and along with overseas man Hendricks (who didn’t take a wicket last week) they are a capable new ball pair, Ed Barnes joined from Yorkshire, but aside from Ackermann - who always seems to do something against us - it seems to make plenty of sense looking at the names in their side why the bookies have them as joint favourites (with Sussex) for the wooden spoon.
Keegan Peterson should make his debut for us, I’d imagine he replaces Dickson at 3. Depending on the conditions he may come in for Trev which would further bolster the batting. It’s probably still too early for Stokes - but it would be a huge boost if we could get him in the side for the following week at home to the scabs.
On the point of the bookies, they have us joint second favourite (at 5/1) to win the title along with Middlesex and Glamorgan and if the Welsh lot are perceived to be our biggest challengers for promotion, then based on last week we’ve got nothing at all to fear from the opposition. As it has done in years previous, it’ll come more down to us beating ourselves.
The future’s bright
HA’WAY DURHAM!
Leicestershire managed to salvage a draw last week at home to Worcestershire thanks to 25.4 overs of resistance from final pair Azad and Hendricks. Aside from Azad, who scored bucketfuls of runs a few seasons ago and is a very capable opener, they haven’t got great strength throughout. Lewis Hill made 90 in the first innings but with Ben Mike coming in at 7, they’ve got a very long tail. Chris Wright has a solid FC record and along with overseas man Hendricks (who didn’t take a wicket last week) they are a capable new ball pair, Ed Barnes joined from Yorkshire, but aside from Ackermann - who always seems to do something against us - it seems to make plenty of sense looking at the names in their side why the bookies have them as joint favourites (with Sussex) for the wooden spoon.
Keegan Peterson should make his debut for us, I’d imagine he replaces Dickson at 3. Depending on the conditions he may come in for Trev which would further bolster the batting. It’s probably still too early for Stokes - but it would be a huge boost if we could get him in the side for the following week at home to the scabs.
On the point of the bookies, they have us joint second favourite (at 5/1) to win the title along with Middlesex and Glamorgan and if the Welsh lot are perceived to be our biggest challengers for promotion, then based on last week we’ve got nothing at all to fear from the opposition. As it has done in years previous, it’ll come more down to us beating ourselves.
The future’s bright
HA’WAY DURHAM!
