Leicestershire batters hold off Gloucestershire on day three

Opener Rishi Patel and nightwatchman Scott Currie led the fightback as Leicestershire’s batsmen fought to save the game on the third day of their County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Grace Road.

The two batted throughout the morning and, although Patel was bowled shortly after lunch having made his first century of the season, Currie remained unbeaten in the afternoon, reaching a maiden first-class half century.

Currie was finally dismissed shortly after tea, one of four wickets to fall as Gloucestershire maintained their hopes of enforcing victory on the final day.

But they will need all 10 wickets in Leicestershire’s second innings as Patel and Marcus Harris saw the home side through to the close after the visitors enforced the follow on.

Leicestershire resumed on 133-5 and 25-year-old Patel played a series of glorious straight drives en route to his ton, which he reached with three boundaries off Ed Middleton’s leg-spin.

Gloucestershire finally broke through after taking the new ball as Matt Taylor produced a peach to remove Patel’s off-stump.

Ben Cox picked up where Patel had left off but Gloucestershire struck with the first ball after tea – Cox leg before to Middleton after missing a sweep.

Currie too was given lbw on the back foot to Taylor soon afterwards, and Ben Mike missed a slog at an Ollie Price delivery which turned a touch and hit off stump.

Price only needed two more deliveries to dismiss last man Josh Hull.