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Leicestershire end 992-day county drought

Sydney-born Angus Robson plays starring role as Foxes overcome record winless run

Leicestershire’s players were aided in their long-awaited singing of the team song by lyrics written on the dressing-room whiteboard as they celebrated the end of a 37-match winless run in England’s County Championship Division Two overnight.

The fact that victory for the Foxes last came in 2012 – some 992 days earlier – made the occasion all the sweeter for the Mark Cosgrove-led side, who negotiated a tricky fourth-innings chase of 163 with six wickets in hand.

It is the longest stretch of time any county side has gone without a win in the post-War era, and local BBC Radio commentator Richard Rae choked back tears as he expressed just what victory meant for the county in the moments immediately afterward.

“The last couple of years have been so hard to take, and while head coach Andrew McDonald said he doesn’t want to see too much celebration after a victory, well Andrew will have to forgive the taking of a moment to savour this one,” Rae said.

“Across Leicestershire … in the cities and in the towns and in the villages and far beyond, I’ve had tweets and emails from Leicestershire supporters from all over the county, all over the country, all over the world – well they’re all smiling now.”

Hero of the day was Sydney-born Angus Robson (younger brother of Sam Robson, who played seven Tests for England last year), as the 23-year-old right-hander carved out a patient 71 to steer his side toward the target before Andrea Agathangelou (42no) and wicketkeeper-batsman Lewis Hill (18no) combined to get their side home in the final over before lunch.

“It was a pretty amazing feeling,” Hill told the ECB website after hitting the winnings runs. “I had a little punch in the air, then I came back for a second even though we only needed one, which I’ve already received some stick for.

“All the hurt over the last couple of years makes it extra special. We are on the up now, whereas in previous seasons we’ve been on a slide down.”

Robson, who also starred in the first innings with 120, shared man-of-the-match honours with Charlie Shreck, whose second-innings haul of 5-71 put his side in the box seat heading into the final day.

“(The dressing room is) a pretty good place to be at the moment,” said Robson. “It’s been a long time coming.

“Everyone’s pretty jubilant. It’s going to be a good day.”

The victory lifts Leicestershire to seventh place among the nine Division Two teams.

Elsewhere on the county circuit, Queensland’s Joe Burns helped Middlesex secure a draw versus Warwickshire at Lord’s with a well-made 72, while West Australian Steve Magoffin finished with match figures of 12-159 in Sussex’s 159-run defeat to Nottinghamshire.