Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely admitted his side had ridden their luck after rain saved them from a likely defeat against Leicestershire at Wantage Road. After Northants had been bowled out for 162 with the second ball of the morning, Leicestershire progressed to 30-1 chasing a target of only 116. The forecast rain arrived 45 minutes into the day, however, and no further play was possible.
For the visitors, their hopes of picking up successive Championship wins for the first time since 2010, the second of which also came to Wantage Road, were washed out, despite the best efforts of Wayne White and Charlie Shreck. The two shared eight second innings wickets, White with 5-51 on his second debut for the Foxes.
Wakely was truthful after the game in saying his side had been saved from defeat, but after being denied victory themselves against Lancashire at Old Trafford, as well as missing out on a quarter final place in the One-Day Cup through a washout, the captain believed his side were due some luck.
“The rain has saved us here, because after the first innings which was pretty good, after that we’ve been pretty poor really,” he admitted.
“I do think we were due a bit of luck. A few times this year the weather and various other bits have gone against us, notably the Lancashire game where we could have squeezed a result in and the same thing happened.
“It wasn’t our best performance. We let it slip during their first innings when we were bowling, I thought Niall O’Brien played really well and took the game away from us. We said if they got a lead it would be crucial, and they ended up doing that and putting us under pressure.”
Northants resumed 162-8 with Richard Levi 54 not out and with last man Ben Sanderson for company. Steven Crook was unable to bat due to his ankle injury, but Clint McKay struck with just the second ball, trapping Sanderson LBW for 1 single to finish with 3-35 after his five in the first innings.
Rory Kleinveldt removed Angus Robson LBW for 10 in the fifth over, but during the South African’s next over the rain arrived and, as forecast, didn’t let up. Play was eventually called off shortly after 4:00pm.
