Jamie Porter hits maiden 50 for Essex against Leicestershire in 2026

Jamie Porter scored his maiden 50 to help Essex prevent Leicestershire from establishing a big lead in the County Championship match.

Jamie Porter Saves the Day with Maiden 50 Jamie Porter, a 32-year-old seamer, batted with unexpected assurance on extended nightwatchman duty to score 52 invaluable runs, preventing Leicestershire from establishing a big lead in the County Championship match at Chelmsford. Porter, whose batting CV was previously littered with noughts, shared an 81-run last-wicket stand with Simon Harmer last week against Hampshire, and he put on 96 in 25 overs for the fifth wicket with Charlie Allison. This partnership came after Essex initially floundered on a green wicket, going from 25-3 to 39-4 in reply to Leicestershire's first-innings 333. ## Key Wickets Fall as Essex Struggle The first wicket of the morning was not that of Essex's second nightwatchman but experienced opener Dean Elgar, who was caught at mid-off driving loosely at Ben Green. Three overs later, Paul Walter slashed wildly to first slip off Ian Holland. From 25-3, Tom Westley dug in for more than half-an-hour, facing 30 balls for two runs, before he was strangled down legside by Mike. ## Porter and Allison Steal the Show Porter was less inhibited and hit Ben Green for a gloriously elegant off-drive past the bowler for one boundary and followed it with another carved over backward point's head. He passed his previous highest score of 34, which he scored against Glamorgan in Cardiff 11 summers ago, when he drove Hull crisply through the covers for his fifth boundary. At the other end, Charlie Allison was quietly going about his business, accumulating runs in a steady, untroubled rhythm. ## Wickets Fall as Leicestershire Close in on Victory Allison reached his 50 from 76 balls by thrashing Green through the covers for a sixth four. And it was not long before Porter was raising his bat on an unprecedented milestone after turning Mike into the covers from the 108th ball he faced. It was only when Mike finally bowled one at the stumps that Porter's defences were breached after 117 balls, and he walked off, head held high, to a standing ovation. ## Final Wickets Fall as Essex Trail by 52 Mike struck again in his next over, taking a return catch at midriff-height to remove Matt Critchley, and Allison followed when Hull found the edge of his bat. Michael Pepper helped Wiaan Mulder take Essex through the follow-on barrier before he got into a tangle against Ajaz Patel and was judged lbw. Mulder, accelerated through the gears, pulling Mike for his fifth four to reach fifty and take Essex to a batting point that had looked beyond them at 143-6.