Peter Handscomb has come out on top in the battle between two Australian county captains as his nifty glovework and stubborn batting helped Leicestershire edge to victory over Cam Bancroft’s Gloucestershire in a championship thriller.
Keeper Handscomb’s aerobatic catch to dismiss Cam Green also ensured the division-two clash at Bristol was a pretty miserable one for the star allrounder, whose latest bid to prove his form before the World Test Championship final fell flat.
There was a thrilling third-day finale to a low-scoring contest on Sunday as the Australian contingent were all at the heart of the visitors’ two-wicket win.
Gloucester had hoped Bancroft and Green could deliver them to a challenging second-innings total but the skipper’s three-hour, 141-ball vigil was ended when he was trapped lbw by Dutch international Logan van Beek for 43.
Then Green, who’d scored a century in his first match after being signed up by a mystery county benefactor, was caught behind off namesake Ben Green for just two to go with his first-innings four.
Handscomb flung himself full-length to his left to make the wonderful grab as Gloucester then went on to make just 152, leaving Leicestershire 143 to win.
Brilliant bowling from Dominic Goodman (4-33) had the visitors on the rack but Handscomb steadied the ship with his stubborn 96-minute knock of 26 and aided by wicketkeeper Ben Cox’s 47 and a stubborn unbeaten 15 by No.9 Green, the visitors just prevailed to go top of the second division.
At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire bade a fond farewell to their short-term Australian import Fergus O’Neill, who departed after his four-match stint as the leading wicket-taker in the country.
The Victoria quick took his bow with 3-74 in the second innings against Sussex, taking his season’s tally to 21 and helping them to a nine-wicket win that puts them top of the first division.
“Fergie’s been outstanding, can’t talk too highly of him,” said Notts captain Haseeb Hameed.
“For a 24-year-old to come in for his first overseas stint and do what he’s done is outstanding, and the biggest thing I can say about him is that he became a leader in the group very quickly.
“You just had to watch him field yesterday, let along the 20-odd overs he bowled, to see he’s got a massive heart.”
Evidently, Notts want him to return. “Hopefully, we can build a few more memories together in the future,” said Hameed.
Surrey have moved ominously into top gear as the champions bowled out Somerset for just 119 before wrapping up an eight-wicket win at The Oval.
Dan Worrall looked back on song with his 3-16 off nine overs, a performance that will have been noted with interest by selectors who could this summer thrust the one-time Australia international into the England Test side.
They’ll have doubtless particularly enjoyed his splendidly over-the-top, zig-zagging celebration after dismissing Tom Banton caught-and-bowled.
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