County Championship: Ahmed and Scriven put Leics on top v Glamorgan

Leicestershire ended the second day on top against Glamorgan thanks to a three-wicket burst from rookie seamer Tom Scriven.

Leicestershire’s score was built round contrasting knocks by Rehan Ahmed (90) and Australia’s Peter Handscomb (95).

Glamorgan’s Timm van der Gugten took 6-88.

In the morning session the exuberant Ahmed, 18, and the implacable Handscomb took their partnership to 177 as they saw off the old ball.

England’s Ahmed, who faced just 129 balls, looked set for a second county century with a range of forcing shots, when he was given lbw to van der Gugten.

The innings fell away slightly with David Lloyd’s medium pace claiming two wickets and the persevering van der Gugten a sixth, taking his season’s tally to 15.

Looking far more confident this year than in previous ventures into county cricket, Handscomb steered the total past the 400 mark with nine wickets down, and was trying to keep the strike for his century when he edged one from Michael Neser.

A total of 407 after Glamorgan had put the opposition in first represented a disappointing scoreboard for the Welsh side, whose seam attack continues to look inconsistent.

In reply, Lloyd was undone by a lifting delivery from Chris Wright second ball which he edged to slip, before Eddie Byrom slashed a ball from Mike Finan just over the slips and Wright jagged a ball in which shaved Labuschagne’s off-stump.

The Australian star also looked fortunate to survive an lbw appeal from Wiaan Mulder on 30, with both men content to accumulate as some belated sunshine dried the wicket, rather than force the pace.

A top-edged six from Labuschagne was a rare blow in anger, but their stand was worth 123 when Byrom fell lbw for 51 off 110 balls to fifth seamer Scriven, making his first appearance of the season.

Two runs later Ed Barnes claimed the prize wicket of Labuschagne for 64 off 106 balls, Mulder hanging onto a slip chance at the second attempt.

Kiran Carlson and Sam Northeast, who hit the county’s record score of 410 not out on his previous visit to Grace Road, went into defensive mode.

But Scriven produced some useful swing with the old ball to dismiss Carlson, caught behind for nine, and Billy Root, yorked first ball.

Northeast and night-watchman van der Gugten survived to the late close, with 94 needed to avoid the follow-on.

Leicestershire’s Rehan Ahmed told BBC Radio Leicester:

“I just played my natural game, I don’t try to over-hit, I think Peter and I bounced off each other well, we were very chilled and just tried to do the basics right.

“(My frustration) was more about how I got out, not really about (missing) three figures, and I think we’re in a great position now.

“There’s the whole team energy batting down to eleven, so when I went out on 170-5, I knew there was a lot of batting behind me, right now everyone’s in a good place.

“When the sun came out, the wicket got a bit flat, but we held our lines and got our rewards late in the day. It was a team effort and Scriv got the reward, he’s bowled very well.

“There was a bit of bounce for me and there might be some turn tomorrow, if I don’t spin it on day three something might be wrong.”

Glamorgan’s Eddie Byrom told BBC Sport Wales:

“Probably not an ideal final session for us, but they have bowled some pretty good balls to get our wickets. We’re definitely behind in the game, but there are still a lot of runs to be had and I think the wicket’s getting better for batting.

“I felt a bit iffy to start with, but the more I was out there, the easier it got, so nice to put on a good partnership with Marnus because I haven’t really batted with him much before.

“He’s a bit edgy with his running, you have to be ready for quick singles, but it’s nice to bat with him.

“It’s going to be a fighting day and we have to make sure we stay in the game, it’s going to be a tough battle.”