Eckersley shines on competitive day

Leicestershire versus Derbyshire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 1:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE

INTERVIEW | Ned Eckersley spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the first day are available HERE

REPORT | A team effort helped Leicestershire to post 300-7 as a good battle developed between bat and ball on the first day of the Specsavers County Championship game at the Fischer County Ground.

Ned Eckersley (73 not out) made another vital contribution at number seven while Neil Dexter, Paul Horton, Niall O’Brien and Clint McKay all posted scores in the 40s as County were forced to work hard for their runs.

Eckersley has been in good form recently and produced just the type of innings that was required when he came in at 138-5, playing extremely straight and being prepared to wait for the occasional loose delivery.

For Derbyshire, it was the slow left arm of debutant Callum Parkinson (26-3-64-3) that really caught the eye while Tony Palladino (23-9-54-0) operated with discipline throughout.

The 19-year-old Parkinson, whose twin brother Matthew has bowled leg-spin to positive effect for Lancashire recently, operated with good flight and accuracy, extracting some turn and bounce in the process.

Leicestershire were unchanged from their fine win at Cheltenham while Derbyshire handed first-class bows to Academy prospect Parkinson and wicket-keeper Alex Mellor, who is on loan from Warwickshire. Both cricketers have performed well for Staffordshire in the Minor Counties Championship.

Billy Godleman opted to have a coin toss but it came down in Leicestershire's favour, Mark Cosgrove deciding to make first use of the wicket.

There was an early blow, however, as Angus Robson (4) nicked Tom Milnes in the second over of the day, Wayne Madsen taking a good catch moving to his left at third slip.

Horton and Dexter had to be watchful against the moving new ball but were quick to latch on to anything short from Milnes. Two boundaries arrived in the eighth over as Dexter punched through cover point and Horton cut down to vacant third man.

The opener then twice drove through the on-side when Shiv Thakor overpitched in the 14th over and the alliance went on to pass 50 as Parkinson's twirl had an airing after just an hour of play.

That underlined Godleman’s confidence in the youngster and Derbyshire’s spinner would go on to play an important role as the day went on.

Dexter struck four gorgeous drives through the off-side in the meantime but Derbyshire stuck to their task and created a couple of problems.

A scare came when Horton offered the sharpest of return chances to Alex Hughes and the stand was ended shortly before lunch, Dexter (44) edging a Thakor away-swinger to a diving Mellor behind the stumps.

Cosgrove (14) glanced boundaries either side of lunch but an intelligent change of angle from Parkinson brought about the downfall of Leicestershire's leading scorer.

After operating around the wicket, Parkinson came over to the left-hander and immediately got one to spin back nicely to clip the top of off stump.

The impressive spinner then went back around to the right handers and struck another key blow, Horton (42) feathering behind to Mellor as he, like Cosgrove, attempted to cut. 

Mark Pettini (13) released some of the building pressure by pulling and driving Milnes for a brace of fours but the batsman was then struck in front of the stumps by a full delivery from Thakor.

Suddenly, having been 95-1 after a solid first session, County had now lost half of their line-up and were 62 away from their first batting point.

O’Brien and Eckersley provided a steadying influence in sharing 68 in 23 overs either side of tea - which was taken at 3.15pm due to a shower with 43 overs still remaining in the day - to get the Foxes back on track.

The duo each hit Parkinson to the fence as part of the process, the only two occasions the youngster went for four in his first 20 overs.

Further boundaries arrived as O’Brien and Eckersley drove handsomely through extra and mid-off respectively when Milnes offered a little width in the 69^th.

Godleman switched his bowlers around intelligently all day and the introduction of Madsen’s off-spin had the desired effect, O’Brien trapped lbw for 40 with the score now at 206-6 in his first over.

Four more runs were added before another shower forced the players to leave the field for a second time but there was only one over lost with half an hour still to make up. The decision to take tea early was extremely good judgement from umpires Rob Bailey and Michael Burns as the latter part of the day was played out in glorious sunshine.

Eckersley found the fence with the first ball after the restart while McKay struck two fours and a six in the space of four balls as another alliance developed.

A delightful shot from Eckersley saw four gathered through extra off Parkinson and he moved to a faultless 50 later in the over (105b, 4x4).

His fifth boundary coincided with the taking of the new ball, another flowing stroke that split point and cover on this occasion, and the stand then went passed 50.

Derbyshire thought they may made the breakthrough when Eckersley drove Milnes to Godleman at mid-on but the ball was dipping and the umpires could not be certain that it had carried.

Eckersley went on to play a wonderfully timed pull but the stand of 83 was broken before stumps, Parkinson picking up a third success by bowling McKay (40), who attempted to strike the spinner to leg.

Ben Raine (10*) hit Parkinson for a couple of pleasant off-side boundaries but the spinner was entitled to be delighted with his first day in first-class cricket while Leicestershire would also have been happy to record three batting points before stumps were drawn.