County League cricket: Melton Mowbray hit back with Leicester Caribbean cruise

New signing Carel Fourie was Melton’s stand-out performer once again, taking the man-of-the-match award in the nine-wicket win at the All England Sports Ground.

Melton won the toss and elected to field in their first home match of the season, hoping to respond to their poor performance the previous weekend.

And the hosts started with genuine intent, Karl Tew and Mike Roberts opening the bowling and producing pace and accuracy to build the pressure from ball one.

Tew bowled beautifully for no reward, but deserved a share of the wickets, while Roberts’ pace was too much as he removed the resilient opener LBW.

Fourie then came into the attack and made an instant impact, bowling beautifully to collect his second five-wicket haul of the new season, and returning figures of 5 for 23 off his 12 overs.

Roberts (3 for 20) and Ben Redwood (2 for 25) joined the attack once again, bowling tightly and backed up by good fielding to add further pressure and bowl out the visitors for just 112.

Melton opened the batting with Stevenson and Claricoats, and both found the boundaries early on.

The partnership was broken when Stevenson was bowled for 14, but this brought Fourie to the crease and both batsmen settled into a nice groove, finding the boundaries regularly.

Claricoats finished unbeaten on 46, while Fourie made 51 not out as they warmed up in style for Saturday’s trip to Mountsorrel (1pm start).