Cosgrove & Pettini dominate first day
Sat 13 Aug 2016
Northamptonshire versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 1:
SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE
INTERVIEW | Mark Cosgrove spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps HERE
HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the first day are available HERE
REPORT | Centurions Mark Cosgrove and Mark Pettini shared 218 for the fourth wicket as Leicestershire progressed to a healthy 330-5 after electing to bat in the Specsavers County Championship game at Northants.
After slipping from 41-0 to 61-3 in the face of outstanding bowling from the in-form Ben Sanderson, the respective red ball and white ball captains dug in to ensure County ended the first day in a position of strength at Wantage Road.
Sanderson, who took a career-best haul of 7-22 as part of a match return of 10-89 at Glamorgan in the previous match, caused the most problems and ended with fine figures of 22-7-39-3.
But his efforts were eclipsed by Cosgrove and Pettini, who scored 111 and 109 not out respectively as Leicestershire banked three batting points.
Leicestershire showed one change to the XI who drew against Derbyshire last week with off-spinner Rob Sayer coming in for paceman Richard Jones.
Northants continued to rotate the squad as they also prepare for important limited overs fixtures. The hosts made four adjustments to the side that won at Swansea in their previous fixture.
Captain Alex Wakely, Steven Crook, Adam Rossington and Richard Gleeson came in for Ben Duckett, Graeme White, Sean Terry and Laurie Evans, who was recalled by Warwickshire ahead of the game.
Wakely’s return did not bring any change in fortune with the toss as the Northants skipper lost it for the 13th time in a row. To add insult to injury, stand-in skipper Rory Kleinveldt had called correctly in the last Specsavers County Championship match at the St Helen’s Ground!
Leicestershire's openers made a bright start despite the Northants bowlers - Sanderson in particular - extracting considerable bounce and movement in the early exchanges.
Horton and Robson guided a number of rising deliveries behind square on either side of the wicket while the former also sent a square drive rocketing across a parched outfield.
The opening alliance was helped by 12 runs being gathered in no-balls from Kleinveldt - extras (42) was a steady contributor throughout - before Horton (22) edged the lively Sanderson to Rossington at first slip.
Leicestershire’s palindromic score of 41-1 after 14 overs had advanced by nine before Sanderson struck again, Robson nicking to Kleinveldt at third slip on this occasion after a battling 10 from 57 deliveries.
Neil Dexter drove and pulled to the fence with élan as he raced to 16 but he too was a victim of Sanderson. The on-song seamer produced an absolute peach that rose off a length and Dexter could do little but fend to David Murphy.
Captain Cosgrove was happy to move across his stumps to counter the threat of Gleeson and Sanderson, who took a well-earned breather 20 minutes before the interval having returned figures of 11-4-22-3.
His alliance with Pettini was worth 40 by the interval with the number five batsman striking a trio of deliveries down to the vacant third man boundary and also driving the off-spin of Richard Keogh through cover take the lunch score to 101-3.
The duo were completely dominant in the afternoon session in adding a further 151 runs in 36 overs.
Pettini firmly cut away for four before Cosgrove glanced off his pads for a boundary that recorded the 50 partnership.
Pettini then drove and pulled away while a flurry of fours helped Cosgrove to record a 90-ball half-century (8x4), including a rasping cover drive that registered the landmark.
A dismissive cut stroke off Gleeson took Cosgrove’s boundary account into double figures and recorded the 100 partnership in the same instance.
Pettini, meanwhile, continued to dispatch anything short, including a cut off Crook that took him to 50 off 85 balls (9x4), and three further flowing strokes in the 54th and 55th overs.
Leicestershire recorded two batting points before tea with Cosgrove (95) and Pettini (74) having extended their stand to 191 with the score at 252-3.
The skipper duly progressed to his fourth century of the season from 167 balls with a 16th four, nicely manoeuvred through mid-wicket, recording the 200 partnership in the process. It was the second season in succession that Cosgrove had recorded a three-figure score on this ground.
Cosgrove picked off Keogh for a couple of further fours while Pettini pulled to the ropes inbetween, taking him into the 80s in the process.
The duo had looked in little trouble during their alliance but Northants persevered in the final session and gained their rewards.
Cosgrove, who had timed most deliveries he looked to hit for four, top edged an attempted pull off Azharullah that went very high but straight to Rob Newton at mid-on. His innings took him to 920 runs in the competition.
It was a welcome boost for the hosts before the new ball was taken and Gleeson went on to strike the day’s first blow from the Lynn Wilson End, trapping Niall O’Brien (5) in front.
Pettini continued to play beautifully and the batsman pulled two consecutive balls for four in the 87th over to move to a fine 100 from 189 balls. It was a fitting way to record the landmark given that quick assessment of length was a key feature of Pettini’s innings.
Ned Eckersley (15*) helped the set batsman to negotiate a tricky final 13.5 overs, the pair adding a further 38 runs to round off a good day for Leicestershire.
