Foxes fired up for ‘match of season’
T20 SKIPPER ACKERMANN ON TONIGHT’S CLASH WITH NOTTS
TONIGHT’S Vitality Blast showdown against star-studded local rivals Notts Outlaws has become Leicestershire’s biggest match of the season, according to T20 skipper Colin Ackermann, writes Richard Rae.
The Foxes start the match against the Outlaws at the Fischer County Ground (6.30pm start) lying fourth in the North Division of the Blast, with three games to play. The top four teams in each division qualify for the quarter finals.
Ackermann believes two wins from three could be enough and says the players are full of confidence after securing a draw in a hard-fought county championship match against promotion-chasing Durham at Chester-Le-Street earlier this week.
“We thrive on playing against the ‘big’ sides – we’ve shown this season we can beat anybody on our day and we’re really looking forward to playing in front of what will hopefully be our biggest crowd of the season,” said Ackermann.
“It’s a quick turnaround after four tough days up at Durham. The challenge is to regroup, find our rhythm and momentum again, but the boys are up for it.
“Some of the guys have had a bit of a break, the likes of Arron Lilley, Lewis Hill and Aadil Ali didn’t travel to Durham, so they’ll be fresh and ready, while the rest of us will be lifted by the way we fought for the draw.
Half-centuries from Ackermann and the prolific Hassan Azad (his second of the match, taking him to 961 championship runs in 20 innings) and a defiant unbeaten century from Mark Cosgrove, the Australian’s first three-figure innings for years, saw the Foxes bat for over four sessions in their second innings to rescue a draw after following-on against a Durham side featuring three former Foxes in Ned Eckersley, Ben Raine and Angus Robson.
“Even players with a lot of experience are lifted by a century, and Cossie will take a lot from his knock,” said Ackermann.
“It would be huge for the club and for us as individuals if we qualify for the quarters of the Blast without an overseas player in our ranks. We started slowly, but as the competition has gone on everybody has settled into a role and executed that role really well.
“We’ve come back strong in the competition and we don’t want to waste that effort now.”
Their last two T20 games see the Foxes face Derbyshire Falcons at the Fischer County Ground on Sunday (2.30pm start), followed by a trip to Old Trafford to play table-topping Lancashire Lightning next Friday, August 30.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed from Pakistan that international bowler Mohammad Abbas is required to return to his country to prepare for international fixtures, meaning he will be unavailable to the Foxes for their final three championship fixtures in September.
Abbas, who took 50 wickets in 10 red ball matches in 2018 and has 29 wickets in nine matches this season, is hoping to return to the FCG.
“I have really enjoyed my time at Leicestershire, the players and management have been very good with me,” he said.
“The weather this season hasn’t been quite as good for swing and seam bowling as last season, but there is a lot of talent in the Leicestershire dressing room and if they work hard they can do very well.
“Hopefully I will come back. Pakistan have Test matches in the UK next year – so let’s see what happens.”