Yorkshire moved one step closer to promotion after securing a comprehensive innings-and-72-run victory over Leicestershire in just three days, despite weather disruptions, in Division Two of the Vitality County Championship.
Leicestershire, who were bowled out for 98 in their first innings, struggled again in their second, managing 209, leaving them 72 runs short of forcing Yorkshire to bat again. George Hill, Yorkshire's 23-year-old all-rounder, played a pivotal role, claiming a season-best 6-59, taking the last six wickets of the match. His final strike came just as dark clouds threatened to cause further delays on a rain-hit day.
This victory, Yorkshire's fourth in five matches, propelled them to second place on the table. Should Middlesex fail to defeat Gloucestershire at Lord’s, Yorkshire will remain in a strong position with two matches left in the season.
Leicestershire's Rehan Ahmed, recently recalled to the England squad, played a standout knock, scoring 77 off 86 balls in an aggressive innings. However, India’s Ajinkya Rahane could only muster 32, and with Peter Handscomb having returned to Australia for domestic commitments, Leicestershire lacked the firepower to prevent Yorkshire from sealing the win.
After more than half of day two was lost to rain, only 14 overs were bowled in the first session of day three. Leicestershire, starting the day at 35 for 2, reached 90 for 3 by the break, still trailing by 191 runs. Yorkshire’s pacers, Ben Coad and Matthew Fisher, were eager to continue their impressive work from earlier in the match, where they shared eight wickets as Leicestershire collapsed to 98 on day one. Fisher added two more wickets before the rain halted play on day two.
Coad’s celebrations were cut short when his appeal for caught behind against Rahane was turned down early in the day, but Fisher soon struck, removing Lewis Hill at second slip. Rehan Ahmed showed his attacking intent immediately, hitting two boundaries in Fisher’s next over and lofting Coad for six as he brought up his fifty in just 47 balls.
Despite Ahmed’s resistance, Rahane’s dismissal—bottom-edging a delivery from Coad into his stumps—was a significant breakthrough, leaving Leicestershire 131 for 4, still trailing by 150.
It was Hill, though, who delivered the decisive spell, removing Louis Kimber, Ben Cox, and eventually Ahmed, with Adam Lyth taking a sharp catch at second slip. After the interval, Hill continued his excellent form, dismissing Tom Scriven and Scott Currie, securing his second career five-wicket haul.
As dark clouds loomed, Yorkshire feared a further delay, but Hill ensured there was no need for an extra day when Chris Wright skied a catch to Fisher at mid-off, sealing the match just before 4:40 pm.