Rishi Patel ton steers Leicestershire to draw against Glamorgan

Rishi Patel led the way with a career-best 134 not out as Leicestershire comfortably batted out most of the final day against Glamorgan to secure a draw. Patel and Lewis Hill (82) took Leicestershire to 252-3.
Much-improved Leicestershire now have 45 points from three games, including their opening win over Yorkshire, and Glamorgan 31 from three draws.
Glamorgan resumed on the final day at 446-8 but soon lost Andrew Salter, bowled by Wright for 13, leaving Cooke hitting out at everything and soon becoming Wright's fifth victim. Their scoring rate of three an over meant the match was running out of time, but Leicestershire were always likely to face an opening onslaught from the Glamorgan seamers and Sol Budinger soon edged Michael Neser to slip for one.
As Glamorgan tried to flog some life out of the pitch with short-pitched bowling, Patel smashed Timm van der Gugten over square-leg into the Milligan Road, while both he and Hill survived vociferous appeals for caught behind.
But the tension soon eased as Leicestershire were in the lead with nine wickets still standing at lunch, leaving Glamorgan needing miracles in the afternoon and getting no help from the pitch.
Patel plundered 18 off an Andrew Salter over on the way to an attractive century off 137 balls, with Hill looking set to join him until he inside-edged rival captain David Lloyd onto his stumps following a stand of 203. The match will be remembered for Cooke and Neser's record eighth-wicket stand for Glamorgan as well as Patel's effort.