Josh Hull’s heroic 97 keeps Leicestershire in the fight as Nottinghamshire falter

Leicestershire 250 for 7 (Hull 97, Rehan 54, Pennington 4-42) trail Nottinghamshire 451 for 8 declared (Haynes 159, Patterson-White 111*) by 201 runs

Josh Hull’s remarkable 97 as a nightwatchman gave Leicestershire a fighting chance to stave off defeat against Nottinghamshire in a match that could prove pivotal in the latter’s defence of the Rothesay County Championship.

The 22‑year‑old left‑handed batsman, who had reached double figures only three times in 34 first‑class innings prior to this game (his highest score then being 35), produced one of the finest nightwatchman performances, batting for five hours and fifteen minutes as Leicestershire, locked in an equally tense relegation battle at the opposite end of Division One, finished on 250 for seven in reply to Nottinghamshire’s 451 for eight declared.

Hull began his marathon innings just before Thursday’s close, facing 247 balls, striking ten fours and two sixes before Dillon Pennington ended his dream of a century, finishing with figures of four for 42 from nineteen overs.

After losing much of the first day to rain, Nottinghamshire’s best hope of retaining the top spot in the table appeared to be bowling Leicestershire out cheaply enough to enforce the follow‑on and then doing it again.

With Leicestershire still 52 runs shy of avoiding the follow‑on, their hopes were dented when an injury to Brett Hutton forced a substitution at tea; however, 20‑year‑old rookie seamer Tom Giles, making his first‑class debut, soon made an impact by removing New Zealand international Nick Kelly and later claiming the wicket of Stephen Eskinazi, finishing with impressive figures of two for 26 from eleven overs.

As Somerset and Warwickshire both secured victories by an innings, Nottinghamshire slipped to third place in the standings. Leicestershire, now second‑from‑bottom, risk see their situation worsen following Surrey’s win over Yorkshire.

Having had Leicestershire two down for 23 overnight, Nottinghamshire entered the day feeling confident of making further inroads with the ball still hard and the air humid.

What nobody expected was that Hull and Rehan Ahmed would see the third‑wicket partnership survive through to lunch, adding exactly fifty runs in a session limited to 21.3 overs after a delayed start, with Ahmed adopting a measured approach while Hull defended almost flawlessly.

After lunch, as Ahmed progressed to an 86‑ball half‑century featuring six fours, the 6ft 7in left‑handed Hull reached his first milestone, surpassing the 89 balls he faced in his unbeaten 35 against Kent at Canterbury last summer — his previous best — to record the longest first‑class innings of his career.

When Pennington, who had taken both wickets to fall the previous evening, finally broke the partnership, it was Ahmed who fell, edging to first slip. The pair had added 83 runs in 33 overs.

Buoyed by his resistance, Hull then slog‑swept a second six off Liam Patterson‑White’s left‑arm spin. He was dropped by keeper Kyle Verreynne on 44 but, unflustered, drove Freddie McCann’s off‑spin for a couple more runs to reach fifty from 158 balls, raising his bat with a sheepish grin as Leicestershire’s players, coaches and staff applauded from the visitors’ balcony.

He then added 94 for the fourth wicket with Hamza Shaikh before Olly Stone finally broke through for the persevering home attack, with Jack Haynes holding a good catch at third slip.

Hull had another let‑off on 90 as Pennington, now with the second new ball, could only get a fingertip to a low caught‑and‑bowled chance, but eventually claimed his wicket when Hull, looking weary, played around a delivery that struck him in front.

Giles, a whippy right‑armer seemingly unfazed by his sudden opportunity, bowled at a good pace and saw Kelly dropped at second slip, but responded with a delivery from round the wicket that nicked off the stump as Kelly shouldered arms, dismissing Eskinazi leg before wicket to leave Leicestershire seven down with still much to do.

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