Batsmen prosper against Northants

Leicestershire versus Northamptonshire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 1:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE

INTERVIEW | An interview with Neil Dexter by BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae is available HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the first day's play are available HERE

REPORT | Neil Dexter fell narrowly short of a second successive Fischer County Ground century as Leicestershire produced another strong batting performance on the first day of the Specsavers County Championship match against Northants.

Dexter, who scored 131 against Kent in his previous innings on the ground, again caught the eye with 98 as Leicestershire posted 311-5 despite being asked to bat first.

The number three batsman was part of two substantial partnerships, sharing 143 for the second wicket with the hard-working Angus Robson (56) before adding 92 for the third with captain Mark Cosgrove (47).

It was a good day's cricket overall on another excellent wicket at the FCG played in front of a healthy crowd of 750 that enjoyed glorious sunshine throughout.

Leicestershire showed one change to the side that drew at Sussex with Aadil Ali coming in for Jigar Naik while Northants also made a switch by bringing in Oli Stone for Graeme White.

For the first time in the club's history there was an uncontested toss in a Specsavers County Championship game and Northants new ball attack of Rory Kleinveldt and Stone opened with great discipline as Leicestershire were restricted to 17-1 after 11 overs.

Paul Horton scored the first 12 runs of the morning but he fell at the end of the seventh over, trapped lbw by Kleinveldt after one nipped back off the seam.  

It was tough going but Dexter relieved some of the pressure when Mohammad Azharullah entered the attack, the batsman sending three drives to the fence in an arc between backward point and cover.

A couple of sets of four byes also got the scoreboard moving and this was the start of an alarming trend for the visitors, who conceded 60 extras in 96 overs of play.

Robson battled hard to get established, prospering by playing very straight and leaving the ball well. Once in, Robson played a lovely on-drive for four before cutting a further boundary through gully.

Runs were now coming freely and Robson and Dexter took their stand past 50. Robson sent a drive rocketing through mid-off before a total of 14 came off Steve Crook's first over, including seven wides from the first three deliveries and a driven four from Dexter off the second legitimate ball.

Robson (30*) and Dexter (38*) had shared 87 when lunch was taken with the score at 99-1. The alliance moved into three figures 15 minutes into the afternoon session as Robson played the shot of the day, a sweetly driven four through mid-off.

Both batsmen progressed to half-centuries with Dexter first to the landmark from 80 balls with seven boundaries. Robson followed suit with his watchful knock absorbing 143 deiveries at that stage. The opener also hit seven fours in the landmark.

Stone kept charging in and after having a big lbw appeal against Robson turned down, the seamer won a verdict with the very next ball.

The wicket did not stall progress; Cosgrove got off the mark in style by crunching Stone through cover point for four while Dexter nonchantly drove Azhaullah through straight mid-wicket to record his ninth boundary. 

A first batting bonus point was recorded as Dexter's well-timed drive beat a despairing drive at backward point and the stand moved to 50 shortly afterwards. 

Cosgrove dispatched the final ball of the afternoon session through straight mid-wicket for four with the team going in at 223-2. Dexter was unbeaten on 90 and Cosgrove 26*.

The skipper pulled Azharullah for four and the bowler was then unfortunate to see the left-hander dropped by Alex Wakely at second slip later in the over, the 69th of the innings. 

Azharullah picked up some reward in his next over by pinning Dexter in front to end a fine innings. Pettini joined Cosgrove and the score passed 250 in the 72nd over before the new batsman opened his boundary account with a stylish cut.

Cosgrove drove Jake Libby down the ground to move within one stroke of 50 but like Dexter, the batsman fell just short of the landmark. He edged Libby's off-spin to Kleinveldt at slip to leave the Foxes at 272-4 an over before the new ball was due.

The visitors delayed taking the new cherry until the start of the 84th over and there was a bit of extra bounce when Ben Sanderson and Kleinveldt returned. 

Pettini and Niall O'Brien battled hard and each hit a delightful four through mid-wicket as the team recorded a third batting point. 

However, Northants kept persevering and Pettini (23) edged Kleinveldt to Ben Duckett at first slip before the day was out. Ben Raine (0*) joined O'Brien (15*) and the duo took the team through to stumps.