Introductions to captaincy are rarely as spectacular as that of Paul Nixon, 36, who not only scored a century for Leicestershire but also held eight catches at the wicket, setting up what should be his team’s first win today in nine attempts this summer.
Nixon, who has taken over from Darren Robinson for the rest of the season, also owed much to a collective effort in which Mansoor Amjad, 19, the Pakistan A leg spinner, scored a maiden championship hundred and Garnett Kruger, a South Africa limited-overs fast bowler, returned five for 62. Robert Croft responded with 71 before Glamorgan resisted Leicestershire’s efforts to score 24 to win off the final three overs.
Leicestershire, with three first-innings century-makers, took full batting points for the first time this summer. Mature batting from Mansoor had taken the game away from Glamorgan, his innings of 105 not out off 170 balls guiding Leicestershire from 301 for six when he took guard to 481 all out.
Mansoor completed his hundred with an effortless six over wide long-on off Croft and shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 98 with John Maunders before Glamorgan relied on staunch innings from Jimmy Maher, Croft and David Hemp to delay Leicestershire.