Amla's class gives Essex the edge

Date: Wednesday 22 July 2009

Day Two Report: Essex 294-4 (Amla 118, Walker 67*, Maunders 56) v Leicestershire

South Africa test batsman Hashim Amla made an exquisite 118 to ensure Essex enjoyed the better of the second day’s play of the Championship game against Leicestershire.

Amla has been in a rich vein of form since joining Essex, becoming the first player to score centuries on debut for the county in both the Championship and Pro40.

He continued that good run here, sharing 133 with former County man John Maunders (56) and 69 with Matt Walker (67*) with Leicestershire’s bowlers having to be patient in the search of wickets.

Tails were up when Varun Chopra was dismissed cheaply, but Amla’s class shone through and the visitors closed in a healthy position on 294-4 after being invited to bat.

After the first day’s play was completely washed out, there was more disappointment first thing today as only one ball could be sent down by Iain O’Brien before the players were scampering for cover.

When they reappeared at 11.30am, there was a more substantial period of play and Dippenaar's decision to field looked a promising one.

Not only did O'Brien trap Chopra leg-before for five with the score on ten, both the Kiwi and AJ Harris - who bowled into a howling wind first up from the Pavilion End - beat the outside edge on numerous occasions.

After early promise, though, Maunders and Amla dug in gamely and saw their side through to the next stoppage which came just before 12.30pm.

At that stage the visitors were 28-1 with Maunders having played two nice clips off his legs, and when play started again, Amla started to shine.

The batsman found the boundary on four occasions in three overs, as he flicked a shot through mid-wicket and also drove pleasantly through mid-on, cover and extra.

He looked in ominously good touch going into the interval on 32, with Maunders still there on 21.

The South African continued fluently after lunch - finding the cover boundary twice - and also appeared to have fortune on his side.

O'Brien produced a beauty to entice an edge when Amla was on 46, but despite getting into a good position, Jim Allenby couldn't cling onto the chance at first slip.

To add insult to injury, Amla then caressed a drive through the covers to move to 50 from 71 balls with his eighth four and then nicked another to the ropes through the corden.

The batter looked intent on making County pay for their mistake, whipping a straight ball from O'Brien through mid-wicket in his next over before launching into another drive through extra.

Amla and Maunders had now taken their stand past three-figures with the left-hander still compiling neatly and patiently while his partner continued to find the ropes with regularity.

He played two square drives of the highest order in consecutive overs to move into the 70s and County needed a breakthrough to stop the bleeding.

George Walker was bought on to add variety to the attack, and although Maunders bought up his half-century with a nice lofted drive from his 91st ball over mid-on, the slow left armer caused problems for the ex-Fox immediately.

The batsman only just got outside the line to a ball that spun back sharply and struck him on the pad before edging the spinner just short of Dippenaar at slip.

Gurney profited from the indecision created and had Maunders well caught behind by Tom New for 56 after the batter got stuck on the crease.

It was a much-needed wicket and one nearly brought two. New batsman Walker had his heart in his mouth later that over when padding up Gurney but he survived the loud appeal from bowler and the corden.

Amla continued to impress, playing two well-timed strokes through the legside off Walker to move into the 90s. The batsman then displayed patience in making it to a well-deserved century, which came from 137 balls with fifteen fours.

He continued to play well after reaching three figures, and stroked two more fours to the legside boundary shortly before tea to go in unbeaten on 112.

His stay was ended in the final session, though, as Allenby had the batsman caught by New off a rare loose shot. The ball feathered off the bottom of the bat to end an excellent innings and Allenby will have been delighted to make amends for the earlier spilt chance.

Essex skipper Mark Pettini joined Walker at the wicket and County reintroduced O'Brien alongside Allenby to try to apply some pressure.

Allenby was well into an excellent spell from the Bennett End - where he took 1-17 from nine probing overs - which tied down the visiting batsmen both during and after Amla's dismissal.

It called for hard graft from the visiting batsmen and Walker's patience was rewarded by scoring three boundaries in a short period of time. He then bought up his half-century from the 114th delivery faced, with seven fours hit along the way.

Pettini had been showing restraint alongside his colleague but had a rush of blood and paid the price. The visiting captain was bowled by Walker attempting a rash sweep for 24 to end the 57-run stand.

County were being rewarded for not losing heart and continued to create opportunities.

James Foster – who has a nasty habit of scoring heavily against Leics - offered an extremely sharp chance towards a sprawling James Taylor at short-leg; the youngster couldn't quite grasp the difficult catch off Walker.

The batting Walker also had some difficulties as Gurney sent down some cracking deliveries. The left-hander was forced into a change of bat and helmet after misjudging a short ball and also sent two leading edges agonisingly back past the bowler.

The pair were up for the scrap, though, and survived up to and beyond the new ball. Walker was unbeaten on 67 and Foster 10 when a combination of rain and bad light bought proceedings to an early close.

County's bowlers deserve credit for sticking to their task. Allenby and Harris both went for less than three runs an over and nobody got pulled apart on a deck that offered little when the shone was taken off the ball.

However, with a day already lost, early inroads are critical tomorrow if the team are to get a foothold in the match.