County's batsmen shine at The Oval

Date: Friday 31 July 2009

First Day Report: Surrey v Leicestershire 291-4 (Dippenaar 86, Ackerman 56, Taylor 53*, Smith 46) at The Oval.

Leicestershire’s batsmen enjoyed an excellent opening day at The Oval, moving to 291-4 by stumps.

Captain Boeta Dippenaar (86), HD Ackerman (76), James Taylor (53*) and Greg Smith (46) were all in the runs as the visitors produced a disciplined performance in the capital, with the home attack having to wait patiently for breakthroughs.

It was an impressive display by the side – particularly given County got off to the worst possible start after winning the toss and electing to bat.

The side lost Matthew Boyce to a run out in the first over, as the left-hander was short of his ground looking to get off the mark as Chris Schofield threw down the stumps at the bowlers’ end.

However, calm was restored as skipper Dippenaar came in to join Smith, who was making his first appearance of the season after finishing his studies for the summer.

The pair built an important 139-run stand to give the team a much-needed foothold in the game. Although Smith initially found scoring a challenge, he battled away and Dippenaar looked in fine touch from word go.

The batsman’s first seven scoring strokes all raced to the boundary, including two nice clips off his legs and three glorious cover drives.

Smith’s patience was rewarded with four boundaries of his own; two of which were beautiful straight drives and another was an absolute belter through cover.

That super stroke took the pair past their 50-run partnership and the pair continued to construct nicely.

Dippenaar was well into his stride, finding the boundary at regular intervals. His 11th four – a fine off-drive – bought up a 78-ball half-century of the highest class.

The batter immediately followed that up with a fine clip through long leg and with Smith also timing a drive through the covers, the score stood at 107-1 at lunch.

Scoring proved more difficult after the interval as the home as Jade Dernbach and Andre Nel probed away. Indeed, only four runs came from the first nine overs after the interval.

Dippenaar released the shackles with four boundaries in quick succession, including a pick-up through square-leg and three lovely drives through cover and extra.

A hundred looked there for the taking given how well the batsman had played to that point, but unfortunately he fell on the drive shortly after.

The impressive Dernbach - who had not long been taken off after the break – was reintroduced as the home side desperately needed a wicket, and he delivered immediately.

It took some catch by Stewart Walters to remove Dippenaar, as the slip fielder held a brilliant diving catch to give the seamer a deserved wicket and end the partnership.

Although Ackerman came in and scored three fours straightaway, Smith was struggling for fluency after lunch as the home attack kept to tight lines.

Dernbach was rewarded for his accuracy with a second wicket, having the youngster caught behind to end his patient stay of 46.

The team now needed another stand of substance and Ackerman and Taylor provided it.

The duo shared 105 for the fourth wicket, with Ackerman playing particularly beautifully through the covers and mid-wicket and Taylor also showing an impressive repertoire of strokes.

The teenager was quick to latch onto the sweep against Schofield and also played well either side of the wicket.

Ackerman moved to a well-played half-century after tea from 63 balls in a knock which included eight fours at that point, and looked in little bother.

However, despite picking Nel off for two fours through mid-wicket and also playing a nice push through mid-on, the batsman fell on the drive to Schofield as Walters held another catch.

Although Ackerman, like Dippenaar, will have been disappointed to miss out on three-figures after playing so well, Taylor and Tom New saw out the rest of the day to end things positively.

Taylor moved to 50 from 120 balls with six fours and by the close was unbeaten on 53. New was 16 not out and the pair will look to continue to build on a super day tomorrow.

Earlier, in team news, Smith, Jacques du Toit, Nathan Buck and Claude Henderson were all bought into the team with Josh Cobb, Jim Allenby, Iain O'Brien and George Walker the four absentees.

The game marks the full Championship debut for Buck, who will be champing at the bit to impress once the batsmen have completed their work.