Olly Stone delivered a fast-bowling masterclass as Nottinghamshire tightened their grip against Leicestershire in their Rothesay County Championship clash.

The 32-year-old England international finished with five for 41 as promoted Leicestershire closed day two on 220 for eight in their first innings in reply to the defending champions’ 490. 

Stevie Eskinazi top-scored for Leicestershire with an unbeaten 44 as he and New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel (38 not out) offered some belated resistance in a so-far unbroken stand of 74 for the ninth wicket, after teammate Ben Green had earlier recorded career-best bowling of seven for 112.

Stone’s figures are his best for Nottinghamshire, for whom he is playing in his 11th first-class match in four seasons since joining them from Warwickshire, and his first five-wicket haul since 2019. 

Nottinghamshire found themselves a bowler short after Brett Hutton had to leave the field midway through his fifth over but Stone’s percentage of high-quality, wicket-taking deliveries more than compensated. 

Leicestershire’s bowlers performed well in the morning session, denying Nottinghamshire a fifth bowling point in the process. Green was rewarded with the second first-class five-for of his career. A brilliant one-handed catch by Ben Cox behind the stumps accounted for Lyndon James, although only after the all-rounder had hit Josh Hull with three fours and two pulls for six. 

Nonetheless, Nottinghamshire missed out on a fifth batting bonus point, ending the 110th over on 449 for eight before James and Dillon Pennington added 39 for the last wicket.

Leicestershire began their reply purposefully but then lost openers Jake Weatherald and Rishi Patel in the space of 14 deliveries. Pennington sent the Australian’s off stump flying before Patel, who hit seven fours in a 41-ball 37, departed caught behind after Stone entered the attack to complete Hutton’s unfinished over. 

Patel succumbed to a ball that nipped away late, which Stone followed up with a near-unplayable delivery that clipped Holland’s off stump.

The home side lost a fourth wicket when Lewis Hill, whose innings never really got going, hit straight to midwicket off left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White. After that, Jonny Tattersall and Stevie Eskinazi were content to steer a path to tea with no more wickets lost.

But Stone returned after the break with his best spell of the day, adding three more wickets in 20 deliveries without conceding another run.

Nipping the ball away, he had Tattersall caught behind and Cox at first slip before beating Green to hit off stump as Leicestershire found themselves in deep trouble at 112 for seven, still 378 behind. 

After Stone was given a breather, Pennington dismissed Scriven via a miscue to long leg and a catch by Hayes (on the field with Hutton injured), but Eskinazi, who has been in good early-season form with a hundred and two fifties so far, was assisted by Patel in frustrating the visitors in the final hour and a quarter.