Hull holds Leicestershire's fort with heroic 97 as Notts are frustrated

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

An extraordinary 97 as nightwatcher from fast bowler Josh Hull led struggling Leicestershire's attempt to deny Nottinghamshire victory in what may turn out to be a key fixture in the Trent Bridge side's bid to make a successful defence of their Rothesay County Championship title.

The 22-year-old left-hander, who had reached double figures only three times in 34 innings in first-class cricket before this match with a top score of 35, produced one of the outstanding nightwatcher's performances, batting for five hours and 15 minutes as Leicestershire, locked in an equalling compelling relegation fight at the other end of the Division One table, closed on 250 for seven in reply to Nottinghamshire's 451 for eight declared.

Hull, who began his marathon innings just before Thursday's close, faced 247 balls, hitting 10 fours and two sixes before he was denied what would have been a dream hundred by seamer Dillon Pennington, who ran in relentlessly for figures of four for 42 from 19 overs.

Having lost most of the first day to rain, Nottinghamshire's best hope of keeping pole position in the table seems to lie in bowling the visitors out cheaply enough to enforce the follow-on and doing it again.

With Leicestershire still 52 runs short of avoiding that fate, they may still have the opportunity. On an energy-sapping day, however, their cause was not helped when an injury to Brett Hutton forced them to make a substitution at tea, although 20-year-old rookie seamer Tom Giles, making his first-class debut in his place, soon made an impact by bowling New Zealand international Nick Kelly, adding the scalp of Stephen Eskinazi in an impressive two for 26 from 11 overs.

With Somerset and Warwickshire both winning by an innings, Nottinghamshire have slipped to third in the table as things stand. Leicestershire, next to bottom, face seeing their predicament worsen after Surrey's win over Yorkshire.

Having had Leicestershire two down for 23 overnight, Nottinghamshire had been confident of making further inroads with the ball still hard and the atmosphere humid.

What was not anticipated was that Hull and Rehan Ahmed would make it through to lunch with their third-wicket partnership intact, adding exactly 50 runs in a session limited at 21.3 overs after a delayed start, Rehan taking a measured approach as Hull defended almost flawlessly.

After lunch, as Ahmed advanced to an 86-ball half-century with six fours, the 6ft 7ins left-hander notched his first milestone, surpassing the 89 balls faced in his unbeaten 35 against Kent at Canterbury last summer - his previous career-best - as the longest first-class innings of his career.

When Pennington, who had taken both wickets to fall the previous evening, eventually ended the partnership, it was not Hull but Ahmed who departed, edging to first slip. They had added 83 in 33 overs.

Hull, defiance now turning almost to confidence, slog-swept his second six off Liam Patterson-White's left-arm spin. He was dropped by 'keeper Kyle Verreynne on 44 but, unflustered, on-drove Freddie McCann's off-spin for another couple to reach fifty from 158 balls, raising his bat with a sheepish grin as Leicestershire's players, coaches and auxiliary staff joined in sustained applause on the visitors' balcony.

He added 94 for the fourth wicket with Hamza Shaikh before Olly Stone finally made another breakthrough for the persevering home attack as Jack Haynes hung on to a good catch at third slip.

Hull had another escape on 90 as Pennington, now with the second new ball in hand, could get only finger tips to a low caught-and-bowled chance but finally bagged his man as Hull, looking understandably weary, played around one that hit him in front.

Giles, a whippy right-armer seemingly unfazed to be suddenly given his chance, bowled nicely at a good pace and saw Kelly dropped at second slip but responded with a delivery from round the wicket that nicked off stump as the left-hander shouldered arms, dismissing Eskinazi leg before to leave Leicestershire seven down and with still much to do.