Spinners bowl over Pakistan top order

Cricket

The Leicestershire spinners Matthew Brimson and Adrian Pierson took seven wickets between them as Pakistan were bowled out for 221 in the Tetley Bitter Challenge match at Grace Road yesterday.

It would have been worse for Pakistan but for a ninth-wicket stand of 79 between Mustaq Ahmed and Ata-ur-Rehman. Mustaq finished as top scorer with 38 and Ata hit a breezy 30 before being last man out. Brimson claimed 4 for 39 in 21 overs and Pierson took 3 for 44 off his 20 overs. By the close, Leicestershire had replied with 28 for 1, with Iain Sutcliffe bowled by the last ball of the day, from Mohammad Akram.

Only three of the six sides in contention at the top of the County Championship are in action today. Derbyshire, who face rivals Nottinghamshire at Derby, will be without all-rounder Colin Wells, who has a back injury, and the pace bowler Andrew Harris (side-muscle strain).

Kent will again be without their England all-rounder Mark Ealham for the visit of Somerset. Ealham is still suffering from the strained rib muscle which forced him out of the reckoning for the second Test at Headingley. Trevor Ward will continue as captain.

The 23-year-old Richard Kettleborough is to replace the departed Australian, Michael Bevan, in the Yorkshire side for the match at Bristol, against Gloucestershire.