Hassan Azad, Paul Horton ton up as Leicestershire shut door on Gloucestershire
No double-hundred for Ryan Higgins as Gloucestershire are unable to capitalise on first-innings lead
ECB Reporters Network
20-Jun-2019
Paul Horton works into the leg side • Getty Images
Leicestershire 487 (Dexter 180, Azad 137, Ackermann 56*) and 211 for 0 dec (Azad 100*, Horton 100*) drew with Gloucestershire 571 (Higgins 199, Dent 176, Howell 52)
Openers Hassan Azad and Paul Horton both scored unbeaten centuries as Leicestershire ensured their Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire would end in a draw.
It was the second century of the match for Azad, who became the first Leicestershire player to achieve the feat since Ned Eckersley against Derbyshire in 2013.
The home side had conceded a first innings deficit of 84 after Gloucestershire had compiled a mammoth 571 in their first innings, but Horton and Azad went through the afternoon and evening sessions without being parted before the players shook hands at 4.50pm.
The start of the day had seen Ryan Higgins, having resumed on a first-class career best 196, bowled by Chris Wright for 199, the ball moving back in to beat the right-hander's forward defensive to hit off stump.
Graeme Van Buuren also went bowled by an inswinger, in his case delivered by Dieter Klein, and the South African left-arm seamer also picked up the last two wickets of the Gloucestershire first innings, trapping Josh Shaw in front before bowling Chad Sayers.
The visitors needed early wickets to put their opponents under pressure in their second innings, but the writing was on the wall when they were unable to part Azad and Horton in the nine overs available to them before lunch.
