Friday, August 13th, 2021

MORE JOY WITH THE BAT FOR HALION AS UNDER-18S FIGHTBACK TO SHARE SPOILS

Oliver Halion continued his excellent form to lead a last day fightback by Worcestershire CCC Under-18s, as they drew with Leicestershire Under-18s at Kidderminster.

Halion followed up his century against Warwickshire, and another in the first innings against Leicestershire, by making an unbeaten 80.

He rescued Worcestershire from 117-6 – a lead of just 105 – and, with support from the lower order, lifted the final total to 276-9 declared.

It enabled captain Joe Stanley to set Leicestershire a target of 265 in a minimum of 41 overs, and they closed on 232-6, with Harry Cooke claiming three wickets.

Worcestershire resumed on 117-5 but Reeve Evitts, having made 34 off 91 balls with three fours, was dismissed in the first over of the day.

Halion, who came in shortly before stumps on the second day, ensured there was no collapse in facing 178 balls, hitting 10 fours and spending more than three hours out in the middle.

He added 24 for the seventh wicket with Josh Dickenson, and 38 for the eighth with keeper Luke Powell, who made 27 off 37 deliveries with six boundaries.

Stanley then joined Halion and the pair put on 79 in 27 overs.

The stand was eventually broken when Stanley fell for 34 off 78 balls, with five fours, and the declaration followed shortly afterwards.

Evitts made the first breakthrough when Leicestershire set off in pursuit of their target, trapping Nasir Noori lbw for 14, with 43 on the board in the seventh over.

Mohammed Talukder was the lynchpin of the Leicestershire innings and he added 92 with Joe Johnson (32) who became a victim of Dickenson.

Leicestershire reached 211-2 but Cooke struck three times in successive overs, and Dickenson accounted for Talukder on 99 before the two sides shook hands.

Cooke finished with 10-0-44-3, Dickenson 11-0-62-2 and Evitts 5-0-39-1.