First innings centuries from Lucas Stentiford and Ben Willcox, and a sublime display of fourth innings bowling by Freddie McCann, left Nottinghamshire two wickets short of victory in the U18’s first three-day Championship fixture against Leicestershire. 

McCann took six of the eight wickets to fall on the third and final day, as the hosts went about the pursuit of 326 for victory, a target set, in large, thanks to the 111 and 121 run contributions from top-order batsmen Stentiford and Willcox on the first day. 

However, some middle-order resistance repelled the young all-rounder to ensure honours finished even at Leicester Road, Hinckley. 

Having won the toss, Notts lost Qundeel Haider in the seventh over, but it brought Stentiford and Willcox together who amassed 204 for the second wicket partnership. 

A flurry of wickets began to swing the momentum with the Green and Golds poised on 287 for five, but a sixth wicket partnership worth 105 compounded the home side’s discontent, Travis Holland adding 54 along with Ben Martindale, who finished 80* as Notts declared on 427 for the loss of seven wickets. 

Mohammad Talukder and Joe Johnson made a stable start in reply for Leicestershire, adding 47 before the former was trapped leg before by Ben Panter for 21. 

It catalysed two fruitful spells for Notts, who reduced their East-Midlands neighbours to 84 for four, and then 159 for eight, with Panter picking up three wickets, Farhan Ahmed two - including Johnson for 52 - and one apiece for Sam King, Aled King and McCann. 

Wicketkeeper batsman Jed Crearer, entering the fray at 123 for five, provided the counter-attack with wickets falling around him, and added 60 with Corey Chantrill before McCann prevailed, dismissing Chantril for 23 and Crearer for 56 to finish with figures of three for 29. 

Resuming 188 runs ahead, the Notts plan was clear - add quick runs to set up a tantalising final day. They did just that, going at a rate of 4.6 for 30 overs to set a target of 326, with Haider avenging his first innings display with a half century, and King adding 27 from 13 balls. 

With a touch over 80 overs to bowl Leicestershire out, the visitors were forced to wait until the 23rd over for their breakthrough, when Talukder was caught by Haider off the bowling of Travis Holland for 29 from 72 deliveries. 

Miserly bowling from the Notts bowling contingent made the likelihood of a successful chase ever more unlikely, but Johnson continued to repel the away side impressively, accumulating 19 from 82 deliveries before McCann struck twice in the 30th over, dismissing both Johnson and Freddie Farey. 

He got his third four overs later, trapping Vaughan Schofield in front of the stumps to leave Lecistershire reeling at 83 for four with 50 overs to survive. 

The hosts took the sting out of the Nottinghamshire tail impressively, though, stunting McCann and Ahmed’s efforts for another 10 overs, until the former struck again, and it was another eight until Martindale ran out Kieran Pell for 36.

With time ebbing away from the game, Finn Haynes and Crearer faced 96 balls between them to take the hosts closer to a draw, albeit the chances of a more positive result was made more likely for Notts when Crearer was dismissed by McCan for his fifth wicket with 23 overs left in the day, and Leicestershire still requiring 161 runs for the win.

Whilst McCan claimed Haynes’ (33) wicket to bring Notts within two wickets of victory and 17 overs still to bowl, an unbeaten 42 from Chantrill, and a 52-ball eight from Abbas, ensured a draw for the sides.