Cosgrove leads from the front

Skipper Mark Cosgrove hit his first century of the summer to help Leicestershire post 300-5 despite losing 29 overs on a rain-affected opening LV=CC day at Kent.

Cosgrove shared two consecutive stands in excess of 100 with Ned Eckersley (67) and Neil Pinner (68) as County scored at almost 4.5 runs per over.

Leicestershire made four changes from the side that lost to Northamptonshire in the week including the introduction of Lewis Hill, who was handed a first-class debut with Niall O’Brien on international duty with Ireland.

The other three switches saw Matthew Boyce, Rob Taylor and Jigar Naik come into the XI in place of Dan Redfern, Tom Wells and Ollie Freckingham.

Play was delayed until 2pm because of a wet start and County were put under pressure after being asked to bat first at Canterbury.

The impressive Matt Coles struck with his second ball of the match to remove Angus Robson (0), who nicked to Sam Northeast at third slip. Coles struck again six overs later to make it 31-2 by trapping Boyce (17) leg before.

Leicestershire ably regrouped with Cosgrove leading from the front. The Australian left-hander featured in a third-wicket stand worth 118 in 29.1 overs in tandem with Eckersley.

The pair both reached half-centuries as they punished anything that strayed in line and length. Eckersley’s took 74 balls; he moved effortlessly from 12 through to a half-century exclusively in boundaries.

Cosgrove, who might have gone for 48 had Coles held on to a slip chance off the bowling of former Leicestershire all-rounder Darren Stevens, went to his 50 from only 66 balls and with seven balls to ease his side comfortably in at tea on 141-2.

The partnership ended soon after the restart when Coles swapped to the Pavilion End to dismiss Eckersley (67) leg before with a full-length off-cutter.

Cosgrove continued to dominate, reaching three figures from 121 balls with 11 fours and a straight six back over the head of Stevens the bowler.

Pinner piled on the agony for Kent by scoring a stylish maiden LV=CC 50 for Leicestershire from 61 deliveries (6x4). The number five batsman helped post 115 with Cosgrove but it was ended when the skipper came down the pitch to Adam Riley and lofted a catch to substitute fielder Matt Hunn, stationed on the ropes at long-off.

Cosgrove’s 113 was scored in a shade over three hours, leaving Pinner and Hill to try to bat out the final 13 overs of the day. Coles returned for a fourth spell to claim a fourth scalp when Pinner (68) sparred outside off stump at a lifting delivery to edge through to Sam Billings.

Hill (13*) and Ben Raine (11*) were unbeaten at stumps as the team collected a third batting point in the final over of proceedings. Coles, who rejoined Kent in March after leaving Hampshire, finished the day with 4-68.