Foxes on top after frantic day

Leicestershire versus Northamptonshire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 2:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE

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

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

REPORT | The Specsavers County Championship match between Leicestershire and Northants is well advanced after a dramatic second day at the Fischer County Ground.

Northants were initially on top on as Oli Stone and Ben Sanderson took the remaining five wickets to dismiss Leicestershire for 332 from their overnight position of 311-5.

County's bowlers then produced another highly disciplined performance with White (8.3-2-24-4) and Dexter (4-0-15-3) sharing seven wickets as Northants were dismissed for 151.

The all-action theme continued as after choosing not to enforce the follow-on, County progressed to 132-6 in their second innings by stumps. Niall O'Brien scored 48 not out to guide the team to a valuable lead of 313 at the halfway stage.

Aadil Ali (7) offered O'Brien useful support in a sixth wicket alliance worth 53 but he became the fourth victim of Ben Sanderson (8-0-36-4) to the last ball of proceedings - the 21st wicket of the day.

Eight wickets fell for the addition of 94 runs in a lively opening session, starting with five for Northants.

Key early blows were inflicted as Ben Raine (0) offered Sanderson a return catch from the fifth ball of the day before Ali (0) and O'Brien (17) fell to late movement from the impressive Stone, bowled and lbw respectively.

Suddenly Leicestershire were 314-8 and in need of a partnership from White and Clint McKay (8) but the latter was bowled by Sanderson with the score at 323-9.

Charlie Shreck (8) was the last batsman to fall, bowled by Stone, who finished with excellent figures of 4-56. White ended on 3 not out and all told, the final six wickets of the innings had been claimed for the addition of 27 runs.

There was no time to dwell on things and Raine (12-2-53-2) immediately got Leicestershire on the board, trapping Ben Duckett right in front with some movement. 

The seamer was causing all sorts of problems and was unfortunate when finding both the outside and inside edge of Libby in the eighth over. The batsman gained two boundaries but could easily have been dismissed on either occasion. 

Libby responded with emphatic strokes through square leg and mid-off and Raine's lack of luck continued as Alex Wakely (17) twice edged wide of third slip.

However the all-rounder then picked up a deserved second success by removing Wakely's off stump with the score now at 44-2.

A battle then got underway between two former Cornwall players as Shreck was introduced and was immediately bowling at Libby. It didn't go on for too long; White took a wicket in his first over, having Libby well caught down the leg-side by O'Brien as County pocketed a bowling point.

Cobb struck a number of glorious drives through the off-side before lunch and was unbeaten on 19 with Northants at 72-3 at the break. 

The afternoon session was also a flurry of activity with seven wickets taken at a cost of 79 runs. Former Fox Cobb continued to play in the same manner after the interval but having reached a stylish 30, he snicked McKay (11-4-15-1) through to O'Brien. 

Richard Levi was joined by Adam Rossington and the duo built steadily during the afternoon session before an inspired change from skipper Mark Cosgrove did the trick.

Dexter's seamers were introduced at the Pavilion End and he continued to impress in the game by picking up three wickets in the space of eight deliveries.

The all-rounder enticed Levi (19) to get a tickle from his very first ball with O'Brien diving to complete the dismissal while Steve Crook (0) edged his second delivery straight to Ali in the cordon.

Leicestershire now had two bowling points and Northants were in some bother at 126-6. There was very nearly a third wicket in the over as Kleinveldt edged Dexter for four through the slips.

The bowler didn't have to wait long for another success as the same batsman got another edge in his next over, Paul Horton completing the job at first slip.

White then got in the act by removing the off stump of Stone (4) and having Mohammad Azharullah (0) safely pouched by Horton at first slip to bank maximum bowling points before trapping Sanderson (0) lbw to wrap up the innings. Rossington was left stranded on 35 and tea was taken.

Another frenetic session of cricket was to come after County opted to bat again. Horton and Robson both got off the mark with lovely boundaries through extra cover and backward point respectively but the former was trapped lbw by Kleinveldt for 10 with the score on 14. Dexter (0) was then bowled by Stone as bowlers continued to dominate.

Robson and Cosgrove formed an important partnership, mixing some defence with attractive strokeplay, but Sanderson then picked up three quick wickets. 

The first two came via edges as Robson (25) was pocketed by Kleinveldt at first slip and Mark Pettini (1) was held by Levi at second slip, and Cosgrove (32) was then pinned in front.

County were now at 79-5 before O'Brien and Ali steadied the ship, the 'keeper playing the dominant role in a stand worth 53. O'Brien was particularly strong through the leg-side, playing a number of excellent pulls and glances. 

However there was one final twist on a day full of theatre, Ali nicking the last ball of the day from Sanderson to Rossington, who took an excellent catch standing up to the stumps.