The combination of rain and poor lighting conditions proved challenging for Northamptonshire in their Division Two match with Leicestershire in the Vitality County Championship at the Uptonsteel County Ground. Despite a strong start, the home side is currently 356 runs behind on 97 for two in their first innings.
George Bartlett, who relocated to Northampton from Somerset at the end of last season, achieved his first century for his new county and remained unbeaten on 126 as Northamptonshire commenced the second day by scoring 116 in 14 overs, thereby securing maximum batting points. They then declared on 453 for seven.
Chris Tremain (37) and Lewis McManus (28 not out) provided valuable support to Bartlett's fine innings. Ben Sanderson, a seasoned seam bowler, delivered a significant wicket in his first over, dismissing Australian opener Marcus Harris for a duck.
Leicestershire, for whom Louis Kimber is unbeaten on 47, were attempting to rebuild their innings when unfavourable weather conditions forced the players off the field in mid-afternoon, resulting in the match being abandoned. Only 37 overs were possible, and with wet weather forecast for day three, this may be yet another match destined to end in a draw.
Northamptonshire had set a target of 337 for six on the opening day, with the objective of securing two additional batting bonus points by reaching 400 within 110 overs. The morning weather conditions, which included a cold, cloudy outlook, made it challenging to achieve this target. Furthermore, the Leicestershire bowling attack believed they could be effective with a ball that was still relatively new.
In the event, the first hour was a resounding success for the Northamptonshire batting line-up, with Bartlett and Tremain, followed by McManus, picking off boundaries at will to top 450, thereby collecting the maximum five batting points. The home attack had encountered difficulties in maintaining consistency on day one and once again delivered an excessive number of loose deliveries.
In his final match for the county before returning to Australia, Tremain achieved 37 runs from 44 balls, with six fours and a straight six off Tom Scriven. McManus employed a variety of strategies before hitting Rehan Ahmed for a six, enabling him to reach the target with two balls remaining. He finished the match with an unbeaten 28 from 15. Ahmed secured a second wicket when Tremain found the fielder at deep midwicket. The England spinner's figures were affected by 28 conceded runs in his last two overs.
Bartlett reached his maiden Northamptonshire century from 180 balls when he drove Scott Currie for his 15th four. He also achieved a final boundary count of 18 fours and a six by slog-sweeping a maximum off Ahmed.
The first of two stoppages for rain prompted a declaration by skipper Luke Procter, after which the dismissal of Harris in the first of eight overs possible before lunch in Leicestershire's reply capped a more than satisfactory opening session for the visitors. Sanderson was unable to reach his intended target as the Australian left-hander, who achieved a double hundred against Derbyshire in a match last week, pushed at a ball pitched outside off stump to be caught behind without adding to his total.
A further rain shower delayed the resumption by 35 minutes. However, another 15.1 overs were possible before heavy clouds made it too gloomy to continue, albeit two and a half hours before play was finally abandoned for the day.
Kimber, who was in need of a score, was three short of a solid half-century, but he had lost his second-wicket partner, Rishi Patel, after a stand of 57.
Patel, as usual, was aggressive in his approach, hitting the boundary five times in six legitimate deliveries against Procter. He was unable to defend against the next delivery from the all-rounder, which resulted in an edge being feathered through to McManus.