Rehan brings Yorkshire back to earth as Leicestershire finally win at home
The Vitality Blast season has thrown up some remarkable twists, but few matches can rival the sheer drama of the clash at Grace Road. In a gripping contest that saw momentum swing wildly from one side to the other, the Leicestershire Foxes secured their first home victory of the season across all formats at the fifth attempt. It was a match defined by sudden collapses, individual brilliance, and a masterclass in pressure bowling. Ultimately, Rehan brings Yorkshire back to earth as Leicestershire finally win at home by 12 runs, derailing the North Group leaders in spectacular fashion.
A Faltering Start and Kelly’s Resilience
After being put in to bat, the Leicestershire Foxes faced immediate trouble. Rehan Ahmed, newly released from England Lions duty, was promoted to open but lasted just two deliveries. He skipped out to Yorkshire’s Pakistan international Hassan Ali, only to swipe the ball straight to mid-on for a second-ball duck. It was the perfect start for Yorkshire, who entered the match unchanged for the fourth consecutive game, brimming with confidence at the top of the Vitality Blast North Group.
However, the Foxes began to rebuild. Nick Kelly, the New Zealander, received an early reprieve when he was dropped on just two runs off the bowling of Faheem Ashraf. It was a mistake Yorkshire would quickly regret. Alongside Jonny Tattersall—facing his former employers for the first time—Kelly began to find his rhythm. By the end of the six-over powerplay, Leicestershire had recovered to 46 for 2.
Kelly began to accelerate, launching his first six in the seventh over. Tattersall also enjoyed some luck, being dropped on six when James Wharton lost his footing on the mid-wicket boundary. At the nine-over mark, the Foxes looked well-placed at 75 for 2. But just as a massive total seemed within reach, the Yorkshire bowling attack, spearheaded by Hassan Ali, initiated a brutal collapse.
Hassan Ali Triggers a Leicestershire Collapse
The turning point of the Foxes’ innings came in the 11th over. Hassan Ali delivered a masterclass in defensive bowling, conceding just a single run and claiming the crucial wicket of Kelly for a well-made 44. That wicket triggered a devastating slide as Leicestershire lost four wickets for just six runs in the space of 15 balls.
Ashton Turner came and went without scoring. Tattersall was bowled by Hassan Ali for 29, and Ben Green fell leg-before-wicket to Jafer Chohan for just one run. From a comfortable 90 for 2, the Foxes had slumped to a precarious 96 for 6. Hassan Ali was the star of the show, finishing with superb figures of 4 for 18, marking his first four-wicket haul since joining Yorkshire for this campaign.
It was left to wicketkeeper-batter Ben Cox to rescue the innings. Cox played an invaluable, undefeated knock of 33, passing the milestone of 3,000 career T20 runs in the process. He helped guide the Foxes to 147 for 8, with 47 runs coming from the final six overs. Though the total felt slightly below par, Cox’s unbeaten contribution would prove to be worth its weight in gold.
Bairstow’s Blistering Start and the Turning Point
Chasing 148 at a required run rate of 7.4 per over, Yorkshire captain Jonny Bairstow looked determined to finish the game quickly. Bairstow, who entered the contest as the second-highest run-scorer in this summer’s Vitality Blast, hammered 14 runs off the very first over. Alongside Adam Lyth, he set an aggressive tone that threatened to take the game away from the hosts immediately.
But the introduction of Ian Holland changed the landscape of the chase. In the fifth over, Holland struck twice in his first five deliveries, dismissing both Bairstow for a rapid 39 off 21 balls and Lyth to leave Yorkshire at 72 for 2 after nine overs—almost identical to Leicestershire’s position earlier in the day.
The pressure began to mount on the Yorkshire middle order. James Wharton, struggling for touch, was bowled next ball for just two off ten deliveries after attempting an audacious ramp shot. Despite this setback, Will Luxton looked fluent, anchoring the innings with a composed 38. With Yorkshire sitting comfortably at 100 for 3, needing just 48 runs from 44 balls, the game seemed to be theirs to lose.
Rehan Ahmed Orchestrates a Catastrophic Collapse
What followed was a batting collapse of epic proportions. Yorkshire’s remaining seven wickets fell for a mere 35 runs, with young legspinner Rehan Ahmed at the heart of the destruction. Rehan turned the match on its head, claiming three vital wickets for 28 runs in a devastating 13-ball spell.
First, the set Luxton was trapped leg-before-wicket by Rehan. In the very next over, a disastrous piece of running saw Moeen Ali run out for just three. Attempting a risky third run, Moeen was caught short by a sharp combination from Rehan and wicketkeeper Ben Cox. When Matt Revis was dismissed for five, Yorkshire were reeling. Even so, with six wickets down, they needed a manageable 35 runs from the final four overs.
However, there was to be no lower-order heroism. The Foxes’ bowlers maintained an iron grip on the game, suffocating the Yorkshire batsmen. The final 20 balls required 27 runs, a task that proved entirely beyond the visitors. The final wicket fell to the penultimate ball of the match, leaving Yorkshire bowled out for 135 and sealing a memorable 12-run victory for the home side.
Match Summary:
- Leicestershire: 147 for 8 (Nick Kelly 44, Ben Cox 33*; Hassan Ali 4-18)
- Yorkshire: 135 all out (Jonny Bairstow 39, Will Luxton 38; Rehan Ahmed 3-28)
- Result: Leicestershire won by 12 runs
