Josh Tongue and Charlie Morris hustle Leicestershire towards innings defeat
Resistance from Azad ended before the close as visitors close in on comprehensive victory
ECB Reporters Network
13-Apr-2019
Josh Tongue celebrates a wicket • Getty Images
Leicestershire 302 (Javid 69, Tongue 4-46) and 132 for 4 (Morris 3-15) trail Worcestershire 553 for 6 dec by 119 runs
Worcestershire are closing in on an innings victory after enforcing the follow-on and taking four second-innings wickets in their Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road.
Seamer Charlie Morris dismissed Ateeq Javid, Paul Horton and Mark Cosgrove to reduce the Foxes to 31 for 3 in their second innings after acting Worcestershire captain Ben Cox had decided to bowl again, having dismissed them for 302 in their first innings, a deficit of 251.
A fourth-wicket partnership of 93 between Hassan Azad, making his home championship debut, and Colin Ackermann threatened to frustrate the visitors, but shortly before the close Azad, having reached a second half-century in as many games, could not keep down a brutal lifting delivery from Josh Tongue, gloving a simple catch to Daryl Mitchell at gully.
Resuming on 180 for 4 in the morning session, trailing by 374 and still needing another 224 runs to avoid the follow-on, Leicestershire quickly lost Chris Wright, the nightwatchman clipping a leg stump half-volley from Ed Barnard straight into the hands of Hamish Rutherford at midwicket.
Harry Dearden looked in good form in going to 13, but attempted to hit a full delivery from Wayne Parnell through the leg side, missed and was given out leg before.
Parnell then took his second wicket of the morning when Javid, having battled his way to 69 off 217 balls, drove airily at a delivery outside off-stump and edged to first slip, where Riki Wessels took a two-handed catch to his right.
Tongue had Lewis Hill caught behind after a stand of 48 with Tom Taylor, with Taylor and then Ben Mike then going in short order to Tongue (who finished with 4 for 46) and Barnard (3 for 40) respectively.
Morris made quick inroads into the home team's second innings, bowling Javid with a lovely delivery that came back to hit the top of off stump, before Horton, playing across the line, went leg before. A three-day victory looked in prospect when Cosgrove unaccountably drove a simple catch to Tom Fell at cover before scoring, but Azad, who looks a real find for the Foxes, and Ackermann dug in to ensure the match went into a final day.
