Leicestershire Foxes may juggle pack to face Hampshire
Leicestershire Foxes look set to juggle their seam-bowling resources today as they face Hampshire at Grace Road in the final game of this season's CB40 competition (12.45pm).
Senior coach Tim Boon has named the same squad that was on duty for the last two matches, the win at Nottingham which was followed by Monday's home loss to Kent.
However, it appears that Nathan Buck will return to the side while Nadeem Malik may also be recalled providing a side injury suffered in the Championship game against Surrey has cleared up.
Slow left-armer Claude Henderson, who has been struggling with a foot injury, will not be risked ahead of the Championship match against Gloucestershire which starts on Tuesday.
That will leave the slow bowling duties to Jigar Naik and Josh Cobb, with James Taylor's leg-spin a further option.
"Claude has been carrying a foot injury for the last month," said Boon. "We have to be careful with Malik but Buck has been rested from the last couple of games.
"We've had fewer injuries among the bowlers than last year. I'm happy with the way we have managed them this season. Nobody has been exposed."
The Foxes go into the game having won only once at home in the CB40 this season, back in April when they defeated Notts.
The one-day season was perhaps summed up over the August Bank Holiday weekend when Leicestershire turned in an excellent performance on the Sunday to win at Trent Bridge but were unable to follow that up 24 hours later when they lost at home to Kent.
"I was delighted with the maturity a young side showed at Trent Bridge," said Boon. "We lost three wickets in a short space of time but a terrific partnership between Matthew Boyce and James Taylor gave us a competitive total which we defended.
"We lost quick wickets again against Kent and were at least 30 runs short in that match. We needed one more significant partnership."
Boyce has looked polished in the Foxes' middle order since being called into the side.
There have been top-order cameos, too, from James Benning and Jacques du Toit. The task for Leicestershire is to put everything together in an attempt to send their supporters home happy for once.
Hampshire, who won the T20 competition in dramatic fashion a couple of weeks ago, have been less consistent in 40-over cricket and, like the Foxes, cannot now qualify for the semi-final stage.
Leicestershire have reduced prices for the match. Adult admission is £5 and under-16s can get in for free.











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