Foxes off to YB40 Flier

Leicestershire thrashed Gloucestershire by 115 runs to get their YB40 campaign off to a winning start.  Gloucestershire won the toss and decided to bowl first. They must have soon regretted that decision as both Leicestershire openers, Niall O'Brien and Josh Cobb, went on to score centuries.

Wicketkeeper O'Brien was first to his hundred.  It came off 79 balls and included 12 fours and a six.  O'Brien was caught for 104 and had taken the score to 193 with Cobb at this point.  Leicestershire reached the 200-run mark in the 27th over.

Josh Cobb reached his hundred from 89 balls and included 8 fours and 3 sixes. Leicestershire kept losing wickets at regular intervals and failed to reach the 300-plus score that many supporters thought was on after the opening stand from O'Brien and Cobb.  Leicestershire made 289 from their 40 overs with Cobb finishing as top scorer with 104.

289 turned out to be plenty as Leicestershire ripped the heart out of Gloucestershire's batting order.  Robbie Williams trapped New Zealander Hamish Marshall lbw in the second over and the Gladiators never recovered. Gloucestershire were reduced to 44 for 5 in the tenth over due to accurate bowling and great fielding. O'Brien took a good diving catch to remove Alex Gidman and there were run-outs from Rob Taylor and Matthew Boyce.  

Cobb returned the best bowling figures of 3 for 34 from his 8 overs to add to his contribution with the bat.  It is easy to forget that Cobb is only 22 years old. He batted with great maturity and captained the team well.  Cobb seems to continue to improve in every match.

Gloucestershire managed to delay the inevitable until the 35th over and were 174 all out. Leicestershire's win was all the more pleasing for two reasons.  Firstly, this match was coming on the back of Leicestershire only yesterday losing a 4-day LVCC to Gloucestershire by nine wickets; and secondly Leicestershire fielded a young team with only two players over 30.

A promising start by Leicestershire in the YB40 on the same day that Leicester City made it to the play offs, and Leicester Tigers won, completed a very successful day for sport in Leicester.