Eckersley’s on song but Callum makes his mark
NED Eckersley described his centuries in both innings in Leicestershire’s draw against Derbyshire this week as the most important of his career.
The 27-year-old became only the second Leicestershire player to achieve the feat more than once in first-class matches, having made two centuries in a championship match for the Foxes in 2013, against Worcestershire, also at Grace Road.
The landmark has been reached 13 times in the club’s 137-year history, with only Maurice Hallam (1959 v Glamorgan, 1961 v Sussex and 1965 v Worcestershire) achieving the feat three times.
“Those knocks will go down as my favourites in a Leicestershire shirt without question,” said Eckersley after the Foxes lifted themselves into third in Division Two, 11 points behind leaders Essex, who go to Grace Road in two weeks, and ten behind Kent, on whom they have a game in hand.
“In the first few years of my time here I haven’t really played in games that meant as much, but this was a crucial match and that’s when it really matters to stick your hand up. As a team that’s the attitude we’re taking into the next few weeks, and hopefully we can get over the line.”
Eckersley, who missed most of the first half of the season after fracturing a finger in pre-season nets, came in with the Foxes on 138-5 in the first innings, when he made 117, and 103-5 in the second, when he scored 104.
“We probably missed a trick or two on the third day and were in a tricky position at the start of the fourth, so to then shut them out of the game and give ourselves a sniff of winning late on was more what we’re about,” he said.
“We’re right in the mix, and it’s exciting after a few seasons when we’ve struggled. But the hard work really starts now; we have to keep pushing.”
Derbyshire also took a lot of encouragement from the game, notably in the performance of 19year-old first-class debutant Callum Parkinson. The teenage left-arm spinner bowled a remarkable 70.4 overs on an easy-paced pitch which only began to deteriorate in the final session of the match, and took 7178 in the match, as well as scoring 48 not out with the bat in his only innings. Captain Billy Godleman had nothing but praise for the Bolton teenager, whose twin brother Matt, who bowls leg spin, made his firstclass debut for Lancashire in June. “Callum was fantastic and fully deserves a few headlines,” said Godleman. “For someone so young, he bowled with amazing control and discipline in the first innings, and really tied the Leicestershire batsmen down. Then when the ball started to turn a touch more in the second innings he bowled aggressively and used his variations astutely. “He was also very clear on what he was trying to achieve, in every phase of the game. He is a massive plus for us to go alongside our young wrist-spinner Matt Critchley.” Leicestershire director of elite performance Andrew McDonald, who has been linked in the Australian press to the vacant head coach position at his home state Victoria, said his focus was entirely on his side’s next five games. “All I can say, as things stand, is I’m fully committed to Leicestershire and it’s all about the season here, because we’re in a really good position,” said McDonald. “This club and this group of players can do amazing things and nothing should be a distraction from that journey.”