Horton excels in solid batting display

Leicestershire versus Worcestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 1:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE

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

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

REPORT | Leicestershire's batsmen put in another strong display on the first day of the Specsavers County Championship game against Worcestershire at the Fischer County Ground.

The team posted 253-4 from 83 overs after being asked to bat first with opener Paul Horton in particularly good touch, scoring 89 off 131 balls with 16 fours.

Horton and Angus Robson (50) got things off to a great start with an opening partnership worth 141 before Worcestershire hit back with a trio of quick wickets. 

Neil Dexter became the third half-centurion of the day in sharing an attractive 86 for the fourth wicket with Mark Pettini, who is also well-placed to reach the landmark on 45 not out.

Although Leicestershire had the better of proceedings with Horton dominating through a series of excellent drives and cuts, it was by no means a poor bowling performance from the visitors. 

The Pears' seamers put the ball in good areas throughout the day and found the edge several times, Horton himself surviving two catchable chances that went down in the cordon.

Both sides showed one change to their last Specsavers County Championship outing, Tom Wells coming in for the injured Wayne White while Charlie Morris returned for the Pears in place of Ed Barnard.

Daryl Mitchell claimed the toss so openers Horton and Robson made their way to the wicket on a dry and bright morning at the FCG. 

Both batsmen had to be on their guard in a tricky opening half-hour from lively new ball duo Matt Henry and Joe Leach, but they defended well and also found time to score a boundary apiece down the ground.

Horton cashed in on his hard work by sending three cover drives to the ropes off Leach as well as cracking a four when Charlie Morris dropped short. Robson then cut to the fence to take the stand past 50 on the hour mark.

Runs continued to flow for Horton, who nudged down to third man for four before striking three consecutive boundaries at the start of the 19th over, the second of which took him through to fifty off 59 balls (8x4). Morris reacted well and was unfortunate to see Horton dropped by Mitchell at second slip with the last ball of the over.

The batsman put the blemish behind him and drove imperiously down the ground to take his boundary account into double figures while Robson also played a terrific shot, sending the returning Leach away through the covers.

To underline how well Horton was playing, it only took Jack Shantry to overpitch slightly on two occasions for further boundaries to be hammered through the covers. 

The 100 was registered at the end of the 28th over before Horton cracked away another four. He moved to 74 by lunch with Robson unbeaten on 31 as the score ticked along nicely to 107 without loss after 31 overs.

Horton cut the fourth ball of the afternoon session from Henry for four before offering a second chance in the 34th over, this time to first slip. Kohler-Cadmore put down the opportunity and the next ball was clattered for four through straight mid-wicket to add to Leach's frustration. 

It continued to be a good battle between bat and ball; both openers nicked just wide of second slip to pick up four apiece while Robson also played two fine strokes either side of the wicket to record further boundaries. 

The 24-year-old then flashed down to third man to record a gritty 107-ball fifty (7x4) but fell without further addition, nicking Morris to a diving Ben Cox, who completed an excellent one-handed catch.

As so often happens with a substantial partnership, one wicket brought about the downfall of the other batsman as Horton was trapped in front by New Zealand paceman Henry when just 11 shy of a second century in Leicestershire colours. 

The Pears now had their tails up and were gaining reward for maintaining their discipline. Captain Mark Cosgrove fell in identical fashion to Horton for 4, meaning County had now lost three wickets for 16 runs.

A regrouping process was carried out by Dexter and Pettini, who used all of their experience to soak up the pressure. Dexter had already accumulated 12 runs before his teammate came to the wicket and he twice drove to the boundary to continue his bright start. 

Pettini was also quick to seize on scoring opportunities, hitting a couple of rasping strokes through the off-side and also glancing Brett D'Oliveira's leg-spin down to the fine-leg boundary.

Shantry caused some problems with the angle created from around the wicket, generally getting nice shape away from the bat. Dexter deftly guided a rare bad delivery from the left armer down to the vacant third man boundary before tea, which arrived with the score at 198-3. Dexter was on 27 and Pettini 23 at that stage in proceedings.

The batsmen had shown good patience and cashed in as 17 runs were plundered off the first over of the final session. Pettini flicked a four off his pads to record the first batting point before Dexter hit the final three deliveries to the boundary. 

That flurry of runs took the alliance past 50 and Pettini played two well-timed drives through the covers as he continued to impress. 

Dexter, who had already made scores of 131 and 98 at his new home ground, progressed to another milestone from 103 balls (8x4). He looked set to post another big score but fell to a clever piece of bowling from Shantry, who hit the pads after bringing one back in.

Niall O'Brien came to the crease but the players left the field shortly afterwards due to bad light. Rain then arrived and 13 overs were lost, leaving County a tricky five-over period to bat. 

Pettini and O'Brien (3*) came through it unscathed with the former flicking the last ball of the day for four to record the second batting point.