Sol Budinger’s maiden century extends Leicestershire lead on the prime of Group A
Leicestershire 251 for 8 (Budinger 102, Handscomb 69) beat Essex 250 for 8 (Allsion 85, Thain 75*) by two wickets
Sol Budinger‘s maiden century in any format of senior cricket led Leicestershire Foxes to a fifth victory in six matches and inside touching distance of a spot within the knock-out phases of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup after a two-wicket win over Essex at Kibworth.
The 23-year-old left-hander – coincidentally born in Colchester though introduced up in Australia – hammered 10 fours and 6 sixes in a 74-ball 102 as this membership floor within the southeast of Leicestershire hosted the county’s first XI for the primary time, lifting his combination on this 12 months’s 50-over competitors to 365 at a median of 60.83.
His efforts have been backed up by Peter Handscomb (69) and Wiaan Mulder (36), which gave Leicestershire, chasing 251, sufficient to face up to some late scares to win with 9 balls to spare. Left-arm spinner Aron Nijjar was the most effective of the Essex bowlers, ending with three for 34 from 10 overs.
On pitch, youngsters Charlie Allison (85) and Noah Thain (75 not out) each made their highest scores in senior cricket as Essex totalled 250 for eight after opting to bat first, the 2 18-year-olds placing on 105 in 18 overs for the sixth wicket.
Allison – youthful brother of seamer Ben – had shared a 75-run partnership with Australian all-rounder Beau Webster (35) for the fourth wicket. Chris Wright, Josh Hull and Tom Scriven took two wickets every for the Foxes.
This adopted a rocky begin that noticed Essex 20 for 3 inside the primary eight overs as Wright dismissed Robin Das, was caught at midwicket, and Luc Benkenstein, taken at level, off mistimed photographs earlier than Tom Westley was run out by Scriven’s direct hit after chancing a dangerous single to mid-on.
Webster and Allison’s 19-over stand started the Essex fightback earlier than the restoration effort was checked simply previous the midway level when Scriven, who conceded solely 19 runs in his first seven overs, eliminated Webster and Simon Harmer with consecutive deliveries.
Allison grew in confidence, finishing a 70-ball half-century – his second within the competitors – by driving Colin Ackermann’s off-spin down the bottom for the primary of his three sixes, occurring to tug Mulder into the netting fence defending neighbouring homes to go his earlier better of 70 in opposition to Middlesex 4 days in the past, and lofting a 3rd most over long-on as Scriven’s figures started to endure.
He will need to have been backing himself to publish a maiden hundred with 5 overs remaining however, having been put down at long-off on 83, was bowled by Mulder, stepping throughout the stumps to play a scoop however lacking.
Thain and William Buttleman maintained the momentum. Thain went to his maiden fifty off 56 balls and Buttleman’s 22 off 15 helped add 49 within the closing 5 overs earlier than he holed out to long-on as Hull picked off him and Jamal Richards within the final over to carry his wickets tally in his debut season within the competitors to 12.
Leicestershire’s batting has been a revelation on this competitors they usually started their reply with the constructive strategy that has been their hallmark, racing to 67 for 2 within the first 10 overs. They misplaced Rishi Patel, caught behind, and skipper Lewis Hill, bowled not providing a shot, as Aaron Beard struck twice in three balls in his fourth over however Budinger set the tone once more, crashing three sixes and 6 fours in a 31-ball half-century, his fourth in 5 innings.
Budinger, who moved to Leicestershire from Nottinghamshire after ending final season on mortgage at Grace Road, had a fame for explosive however short-lived innings in all types of cricket but this competitors has seen him flip a nook, which his innings right here appeared to encapsulate.
Doubtless, with Handscomb providing recommendation, he confirmed he might be affected person as Webster, Harmer and Westley mixed in a good 10 overs.
But after Harmer uncharacteristically dropped one in his arc, which he pulled for his fourth six, Budinger went after the medium tempo of Thain with rapid success. His fifth six took him previous his earlier highest rating – 89 in opposition to Gloucestershire for Nottinghamshire final summer season – earlier than his sixth propelled him to 99, adopted after a second’s hesitation by a single off a misfield. He was celebrating even earlier than he accomplished the run, incomes a hug from Handscomb for good measure.
His downfall got here shortly after the midway drinks break when he despatched one straight up within the air from 19-year-old seamer Richards – one among 4 youngsters in a decidedly youthful Essex group. Ackermann quickly adopted, leg earlier than taking part in again to Nijjar’s correct left-arm spin, at which level Leicestershire wanted 87 from 141 balls.
Harmer bowled Handscomb for a 94-ball 69, Nijjar dismissed Mulder caught behind and Tom Scriven leg earlier than, and Roman Walker holed out off Webster to maintain Essex within the hunt. But Wright was in a position to hit Webster by way of the covers for 4 to keep away from any additional wobbles.