Leicestershire end 37-game winless streak

London: Leicestershire ended a 37-match winless run lasting two years and nine months as they beat Essex by six wickets in England`s County Championship on Wednesday.

Leicestershire finished bottom of Division Two in 2013 and 2014 after winless seasons, but they stopped the rot by reaching their victory target of 163 on the final morning of the game at Chelmsford.

It was also their first away victory since 2010 and it saw them move off the bottom of the table at the expense of Essex.

First-innings centurion Angus Robson set Leicestershire on their way with a score of 71 and although his dismissal left the visitors on 117 for four, Andrea Agathangelou`s brisk 42 not out carried them to the line.

Wicketkeeper Lewis Hill (18 not out) hit the winning runs on the stroke of lunch, smashing first-class debutant Aron Nijjar for six before securing a long-awaited victory with a single into the covers.

Leicestershire were the first team to go back-to-back seasons without winning a match since Northamptonshire, who endured a winless run of 99 matches between 1935 and 1939.