Rothesay County Championship Division Two ka match Leicestershire aur Lancashire ke darmiyan, 23 se 26 May 2025 tak Uptonsteel County Ground, Grace Road par khela gaya. Is match mein Leicestershire ke Rehan Ahmed aur Lewis Hill ne aik tareekhi partnership ke zariye game ka rukh mukammal tor par badal diya. Dono ne teesre wicket ke liye 256 runs ki rikat banaayi, jo na sirf Leicestershire ki taraf se Lancashire ke khilaf Championship ka naya record tha, balki is season mein unki behtareen performance ka saboot bhi tha. Neeche is aham lamhe ka tafseel se tajziya diya gaya hai, jisme match ka context, analysis aur is partnership ke wasee asraat shamil hain.
Match ka Pas-e-Manzar
Ye match pehle se hi kaafi intezar ka sabab tha. Leicestershire is waqt Division Two ke top par tha – chhe matches mein chaar jeet aur do draw ke sath. Unki recent jeet Middlesex ke khilaf Lord’s mein 7 wicketon se aayi thi, jahan unhone har field mein apni bartrari sabit ki. Doosri taraf Lancashire ka haal nuksan mein tha – chhe matches mein aik bhi jeet nahi, sirf paanch draw aur aik defeat. April 2025 mein in dono teams ka pehla match Emirates Old Trafford mein hua tha jo draw raha, lekin Leicestershire ka upper hand tha.
Leicestershire ne toss jeet kar bowling ka faisla kiya, kyunke Grace Road pitch pehle din swing bowlers ko madad karti hai. Lancashire ki team pehle innings mein 263 pe all out ho gayi. Marcus Harris ne 77 runs ke sath top score kiya jabke Tom Scriven ne 5-46 ki shandar bowling ki. Jab Leicestershire batting mein aayi, to teesre wicket ki partnership ne poora match badal diya – Rehan Ahmed aur Lewis Hill ne milkar wo kiya jo kisi ne expect nahi kiya tha.
Record Todhne Wali Partnership
Rehan Ahmed aur Lewis Hill ki 256-run ki partnership aik misaal thi sabr, aggression, aur smart batting ki. Ye partnership us waqt bani jab Leicestershire ke do wickets gir chuke thay, aur team ko stability ki zarurat thi.
Rehan Ahmed ka Kirdar: 20 saal ka England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed, jo apni aggressive batting aur leg-spin ke liye mashhoor hai, is match mein number 3 par aaya. Is se pehle bhi Derbyshire ke khilaf 77 off 59 balls ka quick fifty maara tha. Lekin is baar usne apna andaaz badla aur ek sanjeeda century (100 runs) banayi. Usne pitch ki halat aur match ki zarurat ko samajh kar calm approach li, lekin jab zarurat padi to stroke play bhi dikhaya. Ye performance uske all-rounder hone ka saboot thi.
Lewis Hill ka Kirdar: Lewis Hill, jo team ke former captain aur wicketkeeper-batter hain, ne Ahmed ka behtareen sath diya. Hill ne bhi century banayi – ek composed aur reliable innings. Usne strike rotate ki, lose balls ko punish kiya, aur Ahmed ko free khelne diya. Is innings ne dikhaya ke captaincy chhodne ke bawajood, Hill team ke liye kitna valuable hai.
Ye 256-run ki partnership, Leicestershire aur Lancashire ke darmiyan Championship mein teesre wicket ka sabse bada record ban gaya. 2000 ke baad jab se County Championship do divisions mein divide hui hai, Lancashire ne 16 mein se 9 matches jeete thay, aur sirf 2 haare thay. Lekin is partnership ne game ka narrative badal diya, aur Leicestershire ne ye sabit kiya ke ab wo sirf average team nahi balki promotion contenders hain.
Tactical aur Strategic Impact
Is partnership ka sirf runs banane tak hi asar nahi tha – isne match ka poora flow badal diya. Leicestershire ne apni pehli innings 491-8 declare par khatam ki, jahan captain Peter Handscomb ne bhi 142 runs ki shaandar century banayi. Is se team ko 228 runs ki badi lead mil gayi.
Lancashire ke bowlers, jisme James Anderson bhi shamil thay, thak gaye thay, aur teesri din ke end tak Lancashire 16-3 par aa gaya tha. Ian Holland ne do wickets liye. Ye sab Ahmed-Hill ki partnership ka nateeja tha – unhone na sirf runs banaye, balki opposition ko mentally aur physically thaka diya.
Grace Road ki pitch, jo teesre chauthe din spinners ko madad deti hai, Ahmed jaise spinner ke liye mazeed faida ka sabab bani. Time crease par guzarna bhi ek strategy thi – unhone match ke rhythm ko Leicestershire ke haq mein mod diya.
Leicestershire ka 2025 mein Raaj
Ye partnership Leicestershire ke 2025 season ke dominance ki nishani hai. Peter Handscomb ki leadership aur coach Alfonso Thomas ke guidance mein, team har field mein kaamyaab rahi hai. Batting mein Handscomb (432 runs), Rishi Patel, Rehan Ahmed aur Lewis Hill achha perform kar rahe hain.
Bowling mein Ian Holland sab se aage hain (27 wickets), jabke Logan van Beek (19 wickets) aur Ben Green (21 wickets, Somerset se loan par) ne bowling ko aur strong banaya hai. Pakistan ke Test captain Shan Masood bhi baad mein team ko join karenge, jo promotion push ko aur mazboot banayega.
Lancashire ki Museebat
Lancashire ki team mein naam to bade hain – Marcus Harris (division ke top scorer 795 runs), Keaton Jennings, Josh Bohannon, aur James Anderson. Lekin results unke haq mein nahi aaye. Captain Harris aur coach Dale Benkenstein ke liye pressure barhta jaa raha hai. Is match mein Ahmed-Hill ki partnership ne unki problems ko aur barha diya.
Wasee Asraat
Ye partnership sirf aik match ka mod nahi thi, balki poore season ke liye ek signal thi. Rehan Ahmed ne apni talent ko establish kiya, jabke Lewis Hill ne ye dikhaya ke wo ab bhi match-winner hain. Ye partnership dusri Division Two teams ke liye ek warning thi – Leicestershire promotion ka sirf hope nahi, sab se strong contender hai.
Aakhri din rain ki wajah se result possible nahi ho saka, aur Lancashire ne 90-3 par match draw karwaya. Lekin Leicestershire ka psychological edge aur points table mein bartri barkarar rahi.
Nateeja
Rehan Ahmed aur Lewis Hill ki 256-run ki teesri wicket ki partnership, County Championship Division Two ke is match ka highlight thi. Unhone na sirf record banaya, balki Leicestershire ko match mein aur season mein ek commanding position di. Rehan ki century aur Hill ki reliable batting ne team ke balance aur strategy ko reflect kiya. Ye partnership yaad rahegi – ek turning point jo Leicestershire ki Division One ki taraf daud ko strong banata hai.
