Leicestershire's Mike spikes Tykes with runs and wickets

Ben Mike returned to haunt his former county Yorkshire with a brilliant, counterattacking 90 as Leicestershire's lower order carried their side to a first-innings 354 on day two at Headingley.

This was another weather-shortened day in the Vitality County Championship opener, play only starting at 1.40pm due to a wet outfield - two hours earlier than day one.

Yorkshire held sway overnight with the visitors at 164 for 5, and three wickets inside the first 75 minutes strengthened their position. Seamer Matt Milnes claimed two of them on the way to 4 for 73. However, allrounder Mike impressively led the revival from 215 for 8, sharing a record ninth-wicket stand of 119 either side of tea with tailender Tom Scriven, who contributed a valuable 56.

Mike then struck twice in his first two overs with the ball as Yorkshire replied with 72 for 2 from 18 overs at close.

Mike, who hit four sixes in 113 balls, left Yorkshire in November, one year into a three-year deal. He returned to the Uptonsteel County Ground in search of greater opportunity in this competition.

The 25-year-old only played two Championship matches during his season and a bit at Headingley, the latter part of 2022 spent on loan wearing the white rose. In Yorkshire colours, Mike claimed a best of 4 for 40 with the ball in a One-Day Cup match last August but didn't top 30 with the bat in any competitive fixture.

Home supporters will, therefore, have fully expected sod's law to kick in, and it did as Mike played superbly. He was aggressive but selective with it from No. 9 in the order, arriving at the crease at 177 for 7.

He slog-swept and pulled three leg-side sixes en route to a 56-ball fifty, taking on the left-arm spin of Dan Moriarty and the seam of fellow allrounder George Hill. He later pulled Milnes for another as a century came into view.

Mike wasn't without fortune, however. On 38, he miscued Moriarty and offered a tough chance to Jordan Thompson running in from long-on. Another skied miscue shortly afterwards caught the strong wind sweeping across Headingley and took another catch out of the same fielder's reach as he ran towards midwicket.

Mike was ably supported by Scriven, the pair recording Leicestershire's highest ever ninth-wicket partnership in first-class fixtures, beating a record which stood for 85 years.

Yorkshire's day had started well. Milnes had both Australian overseas batter Peter Handscomb, for 26, and nightwatchman Scott Currie caught behind as the score slipped to 177 for 7 inside the first six overs of play. Both were playing loosely outside off stump.

Matthew Fisher cartwheeled Ben Cox's off stump for 32, leaving the Foxes in danger of not reaching 250. But Mike was followed to a fifty by Scriven, who got there off 71 balls. By that time, the visitors were far, far happier at 327 for 8.

Seven more runs had been added when Ben Coad, bowling with the new ball, trapped Scriven lbw, only for Mike to ensure a third batting point for reaching 350.

One of Yorkshire's issues last season was their inability to finish off the tail in matches. If they are to fulfil their Division Two title ambitions in 2024, that needs addressing.

The innings was wrapped up when Milnes had Mike caught superbly at deep cover by Fisher, leaving Yorkshire with almost an hour-and-a-half's batting to do before close.

And it wasn't entirely straightforward as Mike had Fin Bean caught behind with his third ball and captain Shan Masood caught at second slip playing loosely - the latter for a duck - as the score slipped to 47 for 2 in the 13th over.

Adam Lyth played fluently for 43 not out, the ex-England opener reaching 12,000 Championship career runs on the way, before bad light stopped play four overs early.