Chahal shines with successive five-wicket haul for Northamptonshire

Northampton (England), Sep 20 (PTI) Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal worked his magic to grab five wickets in his second successive match as Northamptonshire resisted a Leicestershire fight-back to secure a nine-wicket win in the English County Championship.

Following up on his 4/82 in the first innings, Chahal claimed 5/134 — a nine-wicket match haul — as Northants bowled out Leicestershire for 316 to set an easy target of 137 in the Division Two County Championship here on Thursday.

Northants romped home in 30.3 overs, losing just the wicket of Gus Miller (11).

Skipper Luke Procter (68 not out) and George Bartlett (54 not out) sealed the chase.

Leicestershire, after resuming the final day on 69/4, recovered through strong batting from Scott Currie and Tom Scriven (48), with Currie reaching a century (120) before being dismissed by Chahal for his fifth wicket.

But Chahal was instrumental in breaking through Leicestershire’s middle and lower order.

He dismissed key players, including skipper Lewis Hill (14) with a well-pitched delivery that turned sharply, and Liam Trevaskis (2) with a catch at short leg.

Despite conceding runs during an aggressive 110-run (141 balls) partnership between Currie and Scriven, including an expensive 19-run over, Chahal’s persistence paid off as he eventually claimed Currie’s wicket to have them reeling at 303/9.

Their innings lasted three more overs with Saif Zaib (2/61) dismissing Louis Kimber.

In the previous match, Chahal had claimed 5/45 and 4/45 in Northants’ 133-run win over Derbyshire.

Brief Scores:

Leicestershire 203 and 316 in 102.1 overs (Scott Currie 120, Sam Wood 57, Tom Scriven 48; Yuzvendra Chahal 5/134) lost to Northamptonshire 383 and 137/1 in 30.3 overs (Luke Procter 68 not out, George Barlett 54 not out) by nine wickets.