Leicestershire Pile on the Runs to Seize First‑Innings Advantage

Leicestershire and Glamorgan look set to play out a final day draw as three players notched up half-centuries with only four wickets falling in the full day’s play.

The visitors reached a first innings lead at Sophia Gardens with 24 overs left to play on day three in the Rothesay County Championship. Jonny Tattersall top scored on the day with an unbeaten 86. Ian Holland resumed overnight to reach 79 and Stevie Eskinazi continued his form with a half-century to propel the Foxes to 500 for 5 in reply to Glamorgan’s 440.

Jake Weatherald was expected to return after retiring hurt with a century on day two with suspected cramp. The Australian overseas didn’t bat again as a precautionary measure. Only bowlers, Tom Scriven and Sam Wood, travelled with the squad as possible replacements.

Leicestershire resumed on day three sat on 215 for 1 with Josh Davey acting as a nightwatcher after Weatherald’s retirement, along with Holland sat on 16.

It took just 10 overs before the introduction of spin and only four balls later Davey would be removed. Despite the batting friendly surface which had been evident since lunch on the first day, Davey was stumped, outfoxed by a hint of turn.

Some sloppy fielding throughout the day, particularly a handful of misfields in the first hour, led to a long day for the home side. The Foxes’ innings has lasted 144 overs across the day-and-a-half so far, still ongoing into the final day.

Kiran Carlson dropped a difficult caught and bowled after Holland lashed one back into his opposite captain’s vicinity. Lewis Hill was dropped by Chris Cooke on 37 shortly after the new ball was taken in a bouncer ploy which eventually worked twice for Ryan Hadley.

The new ball broke the 83-run stand. After five balls around the wicket banging them in halfway down the placid pitch with a six-three legside field and no slips, the Australian seamer went over the wicket to draw Holland into an uppercut down to deep third. Hill shortly followed, chopping on again from a Hadley change of angle, his first ball from over the wicket to the former captain.

The 10 minutes of excitement quickly returned to stillness. A pitch easy to settle on had Tattersall finding his way to 50 on a first appearance as a permanent Leicestershire player, having signed from Yorkshire on loan in 2025.

He had his moments of discomfort, however. Hadley struck Tattersall multiple times with a short ball barrage before he was eventually pulled for four to pass the half-century mark, Eddie Byrom was wrongfooted by a potential catch at short leg with Tattersall on 58 and Mason Crane was convinced he had his second wicket of the day when the number six ballooned a ball to Cooke with bat and pad together early in his innings, only for the celeb-appeal to be in vain.

Stevie Eskinazi also played his part in a century partnership for the pair, his second consecutive milestone after his mammoth century against Surrey in a similar state of affairs.

Andy Gorvin found one to nip back through the gate with the 38-over-old ball to remove the former Middlesex man; Crane and Carlson too found turn but still little threat was to offer as Ben Cox became the next man to contribute to a half-century partnership and close out the day unremoved on 31.