Lucas to the fore once more

David Lucas took three wickets as Northamptonshire eased to an eight-wicket victory over Leicestershire with a day to spare of their LV County Championship Division Two game.

Lucas, who took four wickets in the first innings, received good support from his fellow bowlers as Leicestershire were bowled out for 226.

Visiting captain Paul Nixon was the only batsmen who troubled the bowlers, scoring 73, but his efforts were in vain as Northants easily chalked up the 27 required for victory to stay unbeaten in eight championship matches.

Requiring 192 runs to avoid an innings defeat, Leicestershire started woefully, slumping to 64 for five before the lower middle order offered some resistance.

Northants captain Nicky Boje made the first breakthrough when he had Tom New taken at silly point by Riki Wessels for 11.

Leicestershire’s troubles worsened when Jacques du Toit was caught by David Sales for two, attempting to drive Wigley.

Andrew Hall came into the attack with instant results, removing Matt Boyce, caught behind by Niall O’Brien for 31.

David Lucas added another three wickets to his match tally

HD Ackerman became Boje’s second victim just before lunch, caught by Hall for six.

Northants had victory in sight when Johan van der Wath removed Boeta Dippenaar for only 15, the batsman caught by wicketkeeper O’Brien after the ball nicked his glove.

But Nixon attacked from the off, hitting his Northants counterpart Boje over midwicket for four as Leicestershire moved past 100.

Nixon made the most of short bowling from van der Wath as he smashed the South African for three successive fours.

Jim Allenby and Nixon put on 34 for the seventh wicket before Lucas had Allenby lbw for 22.

The middle-order fightback continued with Tom Smith playing an impressive knock as he and Nixon put on 66 for the eighth wicket.

Smith eventually fell for 31, trapped lbw by Hall, but Nixon was rewarded for his positive approach with a 92-ball half-century as he took the visitors past 200 to ensure Northants would have to bat again.

Van der Wath took the new ball and soon had Claude Henderson back in the pavilion without scoring, as Hall held on to an outside edge at first slip.

Nixon’s resistance was broken when he top-edged to Wigley at fine leg, giving Lucas his third wicket of the innings and leaving Northants requiring 27 for victory.

Smith ensured Northants did not have it all their own way, having O’Brien caught behind by Nixon for three.

Northants suffered a further setback when Stephen Peters fell to Nadeem Malik - caught by Nixon for a duck - but it was too little, too late as Sales (14 not out) and Robert White (12 not out) led the hosts to victory.