MOORES AND AZAD REGISTER SECOND ELEVEN CENTURIES

Nottinghamshire will hope to push for victory in the final day of their three-day friendly against Leicestershire at Lady Bay.

After resumed day two with Sam Kelsall on 45* and Jake Libby on 40*, Kelsall reached his fifty (115 balls, 9 fours) in the fourth over of the day (34^th of the innings) but edged the next ball to the keeper off the bowling of Oli Freckingham.

Libby (46) went the same way in the next over off Alex Wyatt’s bowling (105-2) and Will Root (4) was caught at cover by Aadil Ali off Freckingham in the 36^th (109-3). This brought Joe New and Adam Tillcock together but New (6) fell to a catch by Neil Pinner off Atif Sheikh in the 47^th over (128-4) and Sheikh also trapped Tillcock (11) lbw in the 55^th, the score now 154-5.

Hassan Azad was now joined by Tom Moores with the home side needing a partnership to get them back on track. The pair progressed to lunch (63 overs) with the score 178-5, Azad on 16 and Moores on 17.

In the second session they continued the good work passing the 200 mark in the 75^th over with Moore’s reaching his fifty (80 balls, 11 fours) in the 82^nd. The 250 came up in the 86^th over, the hundred partnership in the 87^th and Azad reached his fifty (175 balls, 6 fours) in the 96^th, the score 288-5. They passed the 300 mark in the 100^th over and at tea the score was 312-5 (102 overs), a lead of 58 runs with Azad on 59* and Libby on 96*.

In the final session, Moores reached his century with the second ball after the interval (144 balls, 18 fours, 1 six) and the 350 came up in the 108^th over but Moores (119) was caught next ball at backward point by Michael Thornley off James Sykes, ending the partnership of 197, the score 351-6.

Brett Hutton came to the crease with Azad on 67 but in the 110^th over Sykes struck again, Hutton (1) caught by Alex Wyatt (357-7) and Paul Franks joined Azad. Franks (5) edged to Hill off Thornley in the next over (363-8) and Luke Wood came to the middle, the pair taking the score past 400 in the 120^th over and Azad reaching his century next over (241 balls, 11 fours). The home side declared on 405-9 when Luke Wood (15) was caught by Sykes off Usman Tariq’s bowling in the 121^st over leaving Azad unbeaten on 100, Nottinghamshire were 151 ahead with 11 overs left in the day.

Leicestershire opened with Usman Tariq and Michael Thornely but Thornely (16) was caught at slip by Sam Kelsall off Adam Tillcock in the 9^th over bringing James Sykes in. The pair safely negotiated the remaining 17 balls to close of play and will resume on 28/1.