Klein tickled pink with form

Northamptonshire versus Leicestershire, Specsavers County Championship, Day 1:

SCORECARD | Available through ESPN Cricinfo HERE 

INTERVIEW | Dieter Klein spoke to BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae at stumps, the interview is available HERE

HIGHLIGHTS | The highlights of the first day are available HERE

REPORT | Dieter Klein took a second consecutive six-wicket haul as fortunes fluctuated between bat and ball on an absorbing opening day of the floodlit Specsavers County Championship game between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.

Northants moved to 211-3 in the 57th over after electing to bat but there were 11 wickets added for 115 runs from that point as batting proved increasingly difficult against the pink ball at Wantage Road.

Klein (6-80), debutant Mathew Pillans (2-61) and two fine pieces of fielding from Clint McKay inspired a Foxes fightback, the hosts dismissed for 261 despite Ben Duckett's astonishing 112 from 102 balls (21x4) and a measured 92 from Max Holden.

Leicestershire replied with 65-4 from 25 overs, Colin Ackermann showing character to post 24 not out from 67 balls faced in the toughest batting conditions of the day.

Klein said: "We've been working really hard on my bowling with the coaches, and it's always rewarding to see things go this way. I'm embracing it and enjoying my form while it lasts."

County showed four changes to the side that lost to Nottinghamshire. Arun Harinath and Pillans made their debuts after joining on loan from Surrey while Neil Dexter and Rob Sayer returned to the starting XI. They came in for Harry Dearden, Mark Pettini, Ben Raine and Gavin Griffiths.

Mark Cosgrove opted for a coin toss and although it landed on the wrong side as far as Leicestershire were concerned, Klein made early inroads en route to recording his second successive six-wicket haul. 

The left arm seamer beat Rob Newton (1) and captain Alex Wakely (2) with quick deliveries, trapping both batsmen in front of the stumps to leave Northants at 24-2.

Opener Duckett dealt almost exclusively in boundaries, finding the fence on 12 occasions as he posted a 41-ball half-century. 

Sayer was introduced as early as the 14th over but Duckett lofted the spinner over the top in his first offering. He then struck a quartet of fours off Pillans in the 16th over through point, mid-wicket (twice) and mid-on to take his tally to 74 out of a total of 85-2.

Duckett continued to dominate a three-figure stand with Holden; his superb 89-ball century included 20 fours and was recorded in the last over of the first session.

Northants were 141-2 at that point but Duckett's knock came to an end 19 runs later. The opener edged an attempted sweep off Sayer towards McKay, who took a super catch tumbling back at short fine-leg to put paid to the 136-run alliance. 

Sayer did a good job for his side, going at a rate of under two-and-a-half in 20 overs as well as picking up the key wicket.

The home side were kept in good shape through Holden’s third Championship half-century and a fifty stand with Rob Keogh (25). But a superb yorker from Klein took out Keogh’s off stump and it sparked a remarkable collapse as four wickets fell for the addition of a single.

First Chesney Hughes was caught at slip having hooked at a bumper from Pillans that hit the glove and ballooned to Horton at first slip.

Then Josh Cobb pushed a ball towards mid-off, set off for a sharp single and was run out by McKay’s direct hit, and Rory Kleinveldt became the third successive batsman to perish without scoring, pushing outside off stump and edging Klein to wicket-keeper Lewis Hill.

Sanderson also edged a hook to be caught at the wicket off Pillans but Azharullah helped Holden bring up a second batting point.

Leicestershire quickly wrapped things up after tea as Klein claimed two further wickets, Muhammad Azharullah seeing off stump disturbed before Holden was last out eight short of a second first-class ton, leg before to a well-pitched up delivery.

The Foxes lost both openers inside six overs as new ball duo of Kleinveldt and Sanderson bowled testing spells. Horton (5) was forced to play by Sanderson, Wakely snapping up a chance that arrived low at second slip, and 10-1 became 14-2 as Harinath nicked Kleinveldt through to Duckett.

Ackermann and Cosgrove fought hard in a third wicket stand of 37 as the skies darkened but the skipper was pinned leg before for 17 by Richard Gleeson with 6.2 overs still remaining.

The artificial lights had now taken full effect and Leicestershire used two nightmatchmen before stumps. Sayer (0) saw his off stump clipped by a beauty from Azharullah but McKay held firm despite a tough examination.

He edged the final ball of the day from Gleeson but Hughes couldn’t hold on, meaning that the Victorian will start day two alongside Ackermann, who played a key role for his side.

TEAM | Horton, Harinath, Ackermann, Cosgrove (capt), Eckersley, Dexter, Hill (wk), Sayer, Pillans, McKay, Klein.

Bowling figures for Leicestershire: Klein 15.3-2-80-6, McKay 15-5-44-0, Sayer 20-1-48-1, Pillans 12-0-61-2, Dexter 6-1-22-0.