England leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed followed up his success last week after he was promoted up the order to open for Leicestershire with another half-century at Old Trafford.
Having been in the field for the majority of the first two days of the fixture when play was possible, Leicestershire came into bat after Lancashire had posted 263. Rehan had not been called upon to bowl in the first innings, but strode out to open the innings alongside Sol Budinger in the evening session.
Leicestershire made the move to promote Rehan to open batting last week, when regular opener Rishi Patel was out of their fixture against Glamorgan with injury. Rehan usually bats in the middle or lower order for Leicestershire, and has a first-class batting average of 29.03. He has, however, come in as high as No.3 for England in a Test match, when he was promoted on debut in Pakistan in 2022, and then again last year as a 'nighthawk' against India.
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Match 26, Lancashire vs Leicestershire
Having been out for 13 in his first innings in Cardiff, Rehan rewarded Leicestershire's decision with an attacking half-century in the second innings. He scored 77 off 59 balls, with 14 fours and a six as Leicestershire looked to set up a declaration.
This week, he registered a second half-century, albeit of a slightly different kind. While he and Budinger put together a rapid century partnership, scoring their runs at five an over at their peak, Rehan was more reserved than he was last week. He was faced with England bowlers like Saqib Mahmood, John Turner and Tom Hartley in the Lancashire attack. He reached his half-century off 77 balls, tucking a leg-side ball from Mahmood behind square. Mahmood had removed Budinger two overs before after the opener mis-timed a pull shot.
Rehan finished the day unbeaten on 61 and will resume tomorrow morning alongside Ian Holland in the middle.
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