RLODC Preview: Leicestershire v Yorkshire

RLODC Preview: Leicestershire v Yorkshire

Leicestershire welcome Yorkshire to the Fischer County Ground, with both sides looking for a victory to get their campaigns moving again, as both sides have secured just one victory from their games so far. 

Leicestershire find themselves one point behind their visitors and off the back of a loss, a very close and exciting loss but a loss none the less. Yorkshire come in having spent the day watching the rain at Nottingham on Friday, which gave them a point for the abandonment but nothing else.

Both sides now have different captains to the ones they started the campaign with. Paul Horton will be in charge of Leicestershire following the removal of Michael Carberry after a review of the early season by Head Coach Paul Nixon. Carberry is not in the squad today. Yorkshire’s previous skipper Gary Balance is in the squad following his spell of compassionate leave from the club, but new skipper Steve Patterson will continue to be at the helm.

If results go their way and Yorkshire win, they could find themselves in second place and back in the reckoning for the play off spots. For Leicestershire, however, a win can only see them reach four points and they will need to win their game in hand to be in serious contention for the play offs.

The bookies have Yorkshire as firm favourites and, with the respective squads, it is easy to see why. However, Leicestershire are always dangerous when dressed in coloured clothing and wielding a white ball, and I predict a home victory today.

Key Men

Leicestershire

When you are on a run of defeats a class player returning to your side can really help to end that run, and with Cameron Delport returning from the IPL this is what Leicestershire have. The big hitting left hander hasn’t played much for his IPL side, so should be rested and ready to hit the ground running. Leicestershire will be looking for Delport to make an impact with bat, ball and in the field and, if he can do that, then thehosts may well come out victorious.

Yorkshire

When you sign a contract to just play white ball cricket, you have to perform and when Adil Rashid performs Yorkshire have a very dangerous bowler and lower order batsman. Rashid can turn the ball both ways and gives Steve Patterson ten overs of very tight and dangerous bowling. If those ten overs go well, Yorkshire’s chances of coming away from their visit to Leicestershire with the spoils greatly enhanced.

Team News

Leicestershire make two changes to the squad that narrowly lost last time out, with fast bowler Richard Jones replacing Gareth Griffiths who is rested for the game. The other change sees deposed skipper Michael Carberry, who is having some time away from the game, replaced by Cameron Delport who will hopefully return from his IPL stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders in time to play for the foxes. If he is there in time then he will play. The hard hitting left hander will slot into the middle order and give the side the extra impetus it needs.

Leicestershire squad: V Aaron, C Ackermann, M Cosgrove, C Delport, N Dexter, N Eckersley, L Hill, P Horton, A Javid, R Jones, C Parkinson, B Raine, T Wells.

Yorkshire welcome back Gary Balance, who returns after some personal leave. He will add real class to the white rose’s batting line up, but does not return as captain. Following a run of exceptional form in the second XI, Jonny Tattersall is handed the wicket keeping gauntlets and Andrew Hodd is given the day off. Karl Karver, the young left arm orthodox spinner, is also in contention to play and with a flat dry pitch in the offing his chances could be high.

Yorkshire Squad: G Balance, T Bresnan, H Brook, K Carver, B Coad, M Fisher, T Kohler-Cadmore, A Lyth, S Patterson (c), L Plunkett, C Pujara, A Rashid, J Tattersall (WK)

Form

Leicestershire: LLW
Yorkshire: ALLW

Weather and conditions

The forecast for Leicester during the match is mixed to say the least. There’s sunshine, showers, thunder storms all forecast – apart from snow, we could see every type of weather during the game. This may well lead to an off and on affair and Duckworth, Lewis and Stern having an outing. In the only other RLODC game to have been played at Leicester this season, Nottinghamshire scored over 400 and the home side scored over 300 chasing, so we can hope for a similar pitch and runs runs and more runs.

Date: Sunday 27th May 2018
Time: 11am
Ground: Fischer County Ground, Leicester
Odds (SkyBet): Leicestershire 13/8 Yorkshire 1/2

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