Leicestershire v Kent, County Championship, Grace Road, 3rd August 2011
“There is not even silence in the mountains
But dry, sterile thunder without rain”
Unfortunately, August isn’t always as attractive as Edward Thomas’s vision of it. Today at Grace Road the outfield was dry and sterile –
and the day throbbed with catharsis postponed. Nearby there were the reverberations of dry thunder from further North. On Saturday the two clubs (though not sides) are due to meet at Grace Road in the quarter finals of the 20/20.
Otherwise the prize on offer is the chance to clamber off the foot of the Championship. Leicestershire (feeling our way into a possibly Taylorless future) made 257 yesterday, with Kent 47-3 overnight. The morning was becalmed in the Doldrums, as Van Jaarsveld and Old Fox Darren Stevens put on a listless century partnership. After lunch there was a sudden gust as Jigar Naik took 5 wickets to bowl Kent out for 219. Leicestershire finished 186 ahead, wth 5 wickets in hand, and – with the pitch taking spin – may have a chance to chance to register a rare victory before the arrival of the imminent devout drench.
When it does arrive, though, no doubt some now tiny, insignificant seeds will begin to germinate. He’s neither tiny nor insignificant, but, for the historical record, it’s worth registering that this match was Shiv Thakor’s debut in the County Championship. Bear that name in mind.
I was pleased to see, by the way, that Ken Clarke seems to have taken my advice, given up the old Lord Chancellorin’ game and taken up permanent residence at Grace Road (Loakes’s finest kicked off and Playfair in hand). That must be the way to go, if he has any sense.
The Crimson Rambler 