Clint McKay starred with bat and then ball as Leicestershire moved into a winning position on day three of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Glamorgan in Cardiff.
Leicestershire have finished bottom of the Championship three years running, but based on this showing seem unlikely to do so again in 2016.
After resuming on 297 for six, still 51 in arrears, former Australia international McKay equalled his career-best score with 65 as Leicestershire’s tail wagged to see them to 427 all out – enough for four batting points and a useful lead of 79.
The seamer then picked up two quick wickets as the hosts were reduced to 172 for eight at stumps, a lead of just 93.
McKay took 58 wickets during his maiden campaign with the Foxes last year, and has impressed again in this match having taken 6-73 in the first innings.
With the game in the balance, the morning session was important for both teams and when Michael Hogan dismissed Wayne White for 58, with Leicestershire 24 runs behind, Glamorgan appeared to be on top.
And here come the Leicestershire batsmen and we’re ready to go. https://t.co/2afhLtFguZ
— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) April 19, 2016
McKay responded by striking five successive boundaries before settling down to play a responsible innings.
There was plenty of playing and missing at the five Glamorgan seamers, but the Leicestershire tailenders frustrated the bowlers by playing every ball on its merit, and when McKay eventually struck Graham Wagg’s slower ball to cover, he had player a valuable innings which lasted 89 balls with 12 boundaries.
McKay then inflicted more damage when Glamorgan batted, taking two wickets with the third and fifth balls of the seventh over as Glamorgan slumped to 16 for two.
James Kettleborough touched a lifting delivery to wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien, then Will Bragg dragged one on to his stumps attempting to cut a short ball.
When Chris Cooks was out for eight, caught behind off Ben Raine, Glamorgan were still 50 runs behind, but Jacques Rudolph and Aneurin Donald then settled down to add 60 for the fourth wicket before Rudolph edged Charlie Shreck through to O’Brien.
Donald scored 57 with seven fours, but it was his mix up with David Lloyd which resulted in Lloyd being run out and the start of a collapse where Glamorgan lost four wickets for one run, with Raine taking two wickets in an over to finish the day with three for 48.
Source: ECB