Stone masterclass helps Notts tighten grip on Foxes
Olly Stone turned back the clock to deliver a fast-bowling masterclass as Nottinghamshire tightened their grip against Leicestershire in their County Championship clash. The 32-year-old England international, who might have played twice as many matches in his career had he not been almost perpetually plagued by injuries, finished with 5-41 as promoted Leicestershire closed day two on 220-8 in their first innings in reply to the defending champions' 490. Stevie Eskinazi top-scored for Leicestershire with an unbeaten 44 as he and New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel (38 not out) offered some belated resistance in a so-far unbroken stand of 74 for the ninth wicket, after team-mate Ben Green had earlier recorded career-best bowling of 7-112.
Stone's figures are his best for Nottinghamshire, for whom he is playing in only his 11th first-class match in four seasons since joining them from Warwickshire, and his first five-wicket haul since 2019. Nottinghamshire found themselves a bowler short after Brett Hutton had to leave the field midway through his fifth over but Stone's percentage of high-quality, wicket-taking deliveries more than compensated. James Hayes, whose only first-class action so far came on loan to Sussex last season, arrived on the ground before tea and fielded for the final session but has yet to be announced as an injury replacement.
Leicestershire's bowlers performed better on the second morning than they had on the first, denying Nottinghamshire a fifth bowling point in the process. Green, the only seamer who ended day one in credit, was rewarded with the second first-class five-for of his career, bowling Jack Haynes via a thick inside edge and producing a textbook delivery to send Kyle Verreynne's off stump flying. Liam Patterson-White and Hutton, who both nicked behind, raised Green's tally to seven.
Injury substitute Tom Scriven, meanwhile, became the third bowler of the season to dismiss Joe Clarke in the 90s, dismissing the competition's leading scorer leg before. A brilliant one-handed catch by Ben Cox behind the stumps accounted for Lyndon James, although only after the all-rounder had punished a wayward Josh Hull with three fours and two pulls for six. Nonetheless, Nottinghamshire missed out on a fifth batting bonus point, ending the 110th over on 449-8 before James and Dillon Pennington added 39 for the last wicket.
Leicestershire began their reply purposefully but then lost openers Jake Weatherald and Rishi Patel in the space of 14 deliveries. Pennington sent the Australian's off stump flying before Patel, who hit seven fours in a 41-ball 37, departed caught behind after Stone entered the attack to complete Hutton's unfinished over. Patel succumbed to a ball that nipped away late, which Stone followed up with a near-unplayable delivery that clipped Holland's off stump.