County Championship: Leicestershire beat Yorkshire after chasing 389 target

Rishi Patel's previous first-class best was 99

Rishi Patel's maiden first-class century helped Leicestershire claim a remarkable victory over Yorkshire as they chased down 389 with three wickets and seven balls to spare at Headingley.

Opener Patel led the charge with 125 and then key contributions from Colin Ackermann (72), Peter Handscomb (68 not out) and Chris Wright (40 not out) helped Leicestershire earn their first County Championship win since September 2021.

Leicestershire's target - 87 overs were available - was set during the fourth morning, and they were on course to achieve the second-highest successful chase in their history when 24-year-old Patel brought up three figures after tea.

At 243-3, they needed 146 in 27 overs to claim their first Division Two victory in two years, all after conceding 517 in the first innings against Yorkshire.

Patel then fell having struck 12 fours and three sixes off 205 balls to undermine their chances, but Australian Handscomb added an unbeaten half-century to his first-innings 112 before Wright hit the winning runs to seal a astonishing victory and a 22-point haul.

Title favourites Yorkshire take seven points having lost a Championship match to Leicestershire at Headingley for the first time since 1910.

• 'Little' Leicestershire proving their worth

Yorkshire looked the likeliest winners after declaring on 286-8 on the final morning, Shai Hope failing to add to his overnight 83, but Leicestershire's intentions were clear as they raced to lunch at 78 without loss from 16 overs.

Sol Budinger laid the platform with eight boundaries in his 41, although his opening partner Patel was given a life when he was dropped on eight by James Wharton at point off Ben Coad's bowling.

But, during the second over of the afternoon, Yorkshire broke through as Dom Bess (5-158) forced left-hander Budinger to miscue an ugly swipe to short mid-wicket, ending the opening stand at 80.

Bess struck again four overs later, having visiting captain Lewis Hill caught behind to make it 88-2, but the run-rate was maintained despite the setbacks and Netherlands international Ackermann busily took on the lead role.

He dominated a 113-stand with Patel for the third wicket, only to fall lbw to Bess just before tea, which arrived with Leicestershire on 203-3 from 50.

Yorkshire were hurt by missed chances in the field.

Handscomb was dropped on 41 in the first innings and nearly run out on 99, and just after tea on Sunday he offered a sharp chance to Adam Lyth at first slip on two as he faced Bess.

But his survival allowed Patel to plough on. The opener was strong through cover and hit all three of his sixes off Bess over the leg-side.

His first took him to fifty during the afternoon and his second, slog-swept over midwicket, ensured his maiden hundred off 185 balls after tea.

He shared 68 for the fourth wicket with Handscomb before falling caught behind to a lifter from Coad, leaving the visitors on 269-4 in the 66th over.

The final hour started with Leicestershire needing 103 more from 16 overs, only for Wiaan Mulder to sky Bess high to cover and Rehan Ahmed to be stumped off the same man, who now had five-for.

And when Michael Finan slashed Matt Milnes to third having made just five, Leicestershire were 327-7 in the 78th needing 62 more and a Yorkshire win was suddenly back on the cards.

But Handscomb played the calming hand and Wright wielded away as they shared a game-clinching 65 partnership in eight overs.

Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson:

"First of all, what a fantastic game of cricket. You hate to come out on the wrong end of a result like that, but you saw two teams trying desperately to win.

"We could have batted on longer, but sometimes you have to risk losing in order to win. Credit to Leicester, they deserved to win.

"You can look at a lot of things. In the first innings, we could have made more runs. But we dropped Patel, who got a hundred, and we dropped Handscomb as well. You give good players chances and they'll punish you.

"Headingley is not a traditionally spinning pitch, so you need the ball moving sideways for the seamers, which it didn't. We have a good set of bowlers but the key is to find the right combination to suit the conditions.

Leicestershire centurion Rishi Patel:

"That was amazing. I'm pretty speechless. The boys are incredibly happy. It all came together for us. This is definitely one to remember.

"We batted well in the first innings, so we were confident. But we had to take it session by session, hour by hour.

"Peter Handscomb was unbelievable - his calmness. Sol batted incredibly well, taking the shine off the new ball but batting positively and Wrighty at the end there played some phenomenal shots to get us over the line.

"I wasn't trying to get to my hundred in singles (reached with a six). When you have a short boundary and the wind's helping you, you have to commit. Fortunately, it came off the middle."

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.