Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, head-to-head record, weather forecast, prediction, and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the County Championship...
Fixture: Leicestershire v Surrey
Venue: Uptonsteel County Ground, Leicester
Dates: Thursday, May 6, 2021 - Sunday, May 9, 2021
Start time: 11am
What's the lowdown?
The last time these two sides met this season they played out a high-scoring draw at the Oval, but with the Uptonsteel County Ground more bowler-friendly a result is in the offing this round.
It’s been tough going thus far for Leicestershire, who are yet to win a game and suffered the most agonising of defeats to Gloucestershire last week. Having been 146 runs to the good on first innings, the Foxes then had their opposition 52 for 3 chasing a fourth innings target of 348 but eventually lost by four wickets.
Though stand-in skipper Callum Parkinson declared to force a result, it can hardly to be said to reside in the upper echelons of captaincy shockers given that his side were nine wickets down at the time. The return of club captain and leading batsman Colin Ackermann, who missed the last game with a concussion, will nonetheless be welcome when it does come.
Last week’s drubbing of Hampshire by an innings was much more like it from Surrey, who before then, despite their array of star names, had been winless this term.
Who's in form?
Ollie Pope will have fond memories of Leicestershire’s bowling attack, having put them to sword during his mammoth 245 in round two.
He arrives in the Midlands bang in form having pasted Hampshire’s attack for 131 at The Oval last week. The leading runscorer that day was Hashim Amla, who stroked 215 before retiring injured with a stiff neck to bounce back from a pair in his previous outing.
Also in the runs during these two sides’ last meeting was opener Sam Evans, who hit a maiden Championship ton in the Foxes' first innings in south London. After missing his side’s round-three game under the concussion protocol, the right-hander picked up where he left off with another first-innings century in last week’s loss at Gloucestershire.
Kemar Roach took eight second-innings wickets last week, but allrounder Jordan Clark is the highest wicket-taker on either side with 14 and dismantled Hampshire’s middle-order on is way to career-best figures of 6 for 21 in Surrey’s innings victory.
Last five first-class matches (most recent first)
Leicestershire: WDLDD
Surrey: DLWDD
Head-to-head first-class record
Total matches: 163
Leicestershire wins: 19
Surrey wins: 75
Draws: 69
Abandoned: 3
What's the team news?
Leicestershire: Coming soon.
Surrey: Reece Topley returns after missing the victory over Hampshire but Kemar Roach misses the trip with a back problem. Roach took a career-best 8 for 40 in the second innings last week.
Will Jacks, left-arm spinner Daniel Moriarty and seamer Gus Atkinson make the squad.
Squad: Rory Burns, Hashim Amla, Gus Atkinson, Jordan Clark, Rikki Clarke, Ben Foakes (wk), Will Jacks, Daniel Moriarty, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith,Mark Stoneman, Reece Topley, Amar Virdi
Latest Leicestershire news: Click here
Latest Surrey news: Click here
What's the weather forecast?
It looks like a three days out of four sort of weekend in Leicestershire, with plenty of rain forecast on Saturday.
Keep up to date with the MetOffice’s rolling forecast for Leicester: Click here
How do I follow the match?
TV/stream: Leicestershire will offer live coverage of the match via their website: Click here
All County Championship matches are also available via the ECB's central hub: Click here
The matches can also be viewed on mobile via the ECB app.
Radio: BBC Local Radio and the BBC Sport website will carry ball-by-ball radio commentary of the game.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and daily updates from every County Championship match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Going to the game?
Tickets: This match is to be played behind closed doors owing to Covid-19 restrictions.
Travel: Not applicable owing to Covid-19 restrictions.
Prediction?
The recent head-to-head at The Oval showed Leicestershire have plenty of gumption and grit with the bat, but may fall down in the bowling department.
Away win.
OTHER ROUND FIVE PREVIEWS
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
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