Coles takes 3 wickets as students fight back to gain creditable draw

Matt Coles took three wickets before the Loughborough MCCU tail wagged on the third and final day of the final match ahead of the Specsavers County Championship, which gets under way this weekend.

Darren Stevens picked up his second wicket with the first ball of the day to reduce the students to 19-4 ahead of the first match at Worcestershire on Sunday.

When Coles trapped Rob White LBW for 30, the fightback began as wicketkeeper-batsman Michael Burgess and Charles Lowen hit half-centuries before being bowled by Mitch Claydon as they added more than a hundred runs for the next two wickets.

Former Hampshire all-rounder Basil Akram, fresh from scoring 160 and taking six wickets against Surrey last week, stole the limelight with a fluent century, hitting three boundaries and a six to reach three figures after a 130-run stand with Sam Grant (bowled by Matt Hunn for 52) before the sides shook hands.