Plucky Cosgrove holds up Lancashire

Mark Cosgrove staved off the threat of a follow-on to protect Leicestershire in a rain-wrecked but eventful day limited to 24 overs. In that time, 103 runs were scored and six wickets taken, leaving Lancashire in a position of control, leading by 158 runs with eight second innings wickets remaining at the end of the third day.

When Leicestershire lost Tom Wells, leg before on the back foot to Kyle Jarvis, they were still 16 short of saving the follow-on, but skipper Cosgrove was joined by Clint McKay and the Australians took Leicestershire past the follow-on before another shower saw the players head for an early lunch.

Only four overs were possible in the afternoon session, but Lancashire made the most of them by picking up two more wickets. First to go was Cosgrove, who had battled his way to 79 before a Nathan Buck inswinger saw him dismissed leg before wicket. There had been no further addition to the score when McKay, who had hit four fours in going to 26, edged a Jarvis outswinger to wicket-keeper Alex Davies.

Further rain kept the players off until 5.45pm, but Lancashire needed only one more ball to finish the Leicestershire innings, Jarvis seaming one back in to Charlie Shreck to win another leg before shout, and finish with 5 for 69.

Looking to bat positively to give themselves enough time to bowl Leicestershire out on the final day, Lancashire quickly lost Paul Horton run out. He called Karl Brown through for a single, was sent back by Brown, who had slipped, and did not make it.

Brown himself followed soon afterwards, edging a Shreck out-swinger to Niall O'Brien behind the stumps, and it should have been three when Alviro Petersen edged the last ball of the day, bowled by Ben Raine, to Wells at third slip, only for the young all-rounder to failed to hold the chance - the fifth time Leicestershire have dropped a good chance in the slips in this match.