Eckersley's best gives Leicestershire hope

Three wickets in the final half-hour of play on day three at Grace Road increased hopes of a positive result in the LV= County Championship Division Two match between Leicestershire and Glamorgan.

The match appeared to be drifting inevitably towards a draw but two late strikes from Charlie Shreck and a wicket from Tom Wells had the visitors 47 for 3, 125 ahead with seven second-innings wickets remaining.

Earlier, a composed 147 from Ned Eckersley, matching his first-class career best, had helped the Foxes to take their first innings score to 435, a deficit of 78.

Shreck then had James Kettleborough caught behind by Niall O'Brien, Wells was fortunate to see Jacques Rudolph held by O'Brien leaping athletically down the leg-side and Shreck trapped Will Bragg leg before.

Leicestershire had resumed on 202 for 1 and Eckersley lost partner Angus Robson when just two runs had been added to that score, the young Australia-born right hander losing his off-stump to a fine outswinging delivery from Craig Meschede for 83.

Eckersley and new Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove then added 86 for the Foxes' third wicket before Cosgrove, on 33, was bowled off the inside edge driving expansively at seamer David Lloyd.

Having reached his century off 178 balls, including 15 fours, Eckersley continued to bat patiently after the break, adding 59 for the fifth wicket with O'Brien after Dean Cosker bowled Neil Pinner with a beautifully flighted delivery for four.

Glamorgan's hopes of forcing an unlikely win rose when Meschede found some unexpected lift in the otherwise placid wicket to have first Eckersley and, just two balls later, Wells caught for nought by Cosker at second slip.

Ben Raine helped O'Brien pass 50, but seamer Andy Carter, on loan from Nottinghamshire, knocked out Raine's off-stump, and mopped up the Leicestershire tail in short order to finish with 4 for 95.

"It was great to get past three figures because the Glamorgan seamers bowled really well in the morning,'' said Eckersley. "I had to scrap for runs in the first session in particular. It was a shame not to get 150 plus. I was really looking for that, but I pushed at a wide one.

"There's a big chance for us to come in hard tomorrow, take a couple of early wickets and try and put them under pressure."'