Jefferson shines for County

Will Jefferson’s sparkling century helped Leicestershire close in a position of strength after the first day of the LV=County Championship game against Surrey.

Jefferson produced a performance of sublime timing as he made 135 and shared century stands with Paul Nixon (41) and James Taylor (63) along the way as County closed on 337-4 at the Oval.

Jacques du Toit also made a polished unbeaten 72 as he and Tom New (15*) put on an unbroken 68 for the fifth wicket, and all told, it was an entertaining day’s play.

Jefferson led the way with his first Championship hundred for the Club. The opener previously made a first-class ton against Cambridge MCCU earlier this season but this was his first in the league in Leicestershire colours.

He richly deserved it. He came through a tough opening period and went on to play with freedom and controlled aggression.

It wasn’t all plain sailing after Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bat as the team were made to work hard for their runs early on.

Surrey bowled with high discipline early on and that pressure told as Matthew Boyce was an early casualty.

Chris Tremlett and Jade Dernbach bowled with decent pace and movement and after settling into lines outside off stump, Dernbach straightened one and pinned Boyce in front.

It was far from an ideal start and Jefferson and Nixon had to dig in to prevent further loss. The runs were not free-flowing as only ten came off the opening ten overs but the main thing was that a cluster of wickets did not fall.

Although it was warm and conditions looked ideal for batting, the ball was moving around and the going was tough for the batsmen.

They did a good job in negating the early threat and despite the fact the ball was moving around, Gareth Batty was introduced as early as the 13th over.

Stuart Meaker also came into the attack and his extra pace helped Jefferson get going. The opener pulled powerfully, cut through point twice and also flicked through mid-wicket as the boundaries started to flow.

He also drove pleasantly through cover on a couple of occasions and with Nixon also going well, the runs were coming nicely.

Chris Schofield formed a spin duopoly with Batty and that was music to Nixon’s ears. The batsman drove Batty off the back foot and also swept Schofield to the ropes as he cut loose.

A cunning reverse sweep took Jefferson towards fifty and that landmark was reached from the 74th ball he faced. Jefferson struck eight fours in the process.

A nudged single from Nixon took the partnership to exactly 100 and from being 6-1, the scoreboard looked a lot healthier at lunch.

The platform had been laid but Surrey again bowled well after the break. Batty had a vociferous leg before shout against Nixon, who was then bowled by a Tremlett delivery that nipped back.

The batsman chopped on to his stumps to end a find knock of 41 and the stand of 105 with Jefferson had been vital in setting up the innings.

Jefferson continued to time the ball nicely and Taylor opened his boundary account with a super drive that pierced the gap between cover and mid off.

He looked in fine fettle immediately and Jefferson was also playing well. The batsman stroked Batty past mid off and through cover and also cut powerfully off Tremlett for three further boundaries.

Taylor again drove fluently through the extra region as the partnership began in style.

His partner continued to be positive and a super sweep off Batty sailed over the heads of a party of people in fancy dress positioned at backward square leg.

They were clearly enjoying themselves in the sunshine and so was Jefferson, who moved to his first Championship hundred for the Club with a similar swept maximum. It came from 137 balls and included twelve fours and those two sixes.

The stand was now well past 50 and Taylor was typically busy. He took nifty singles at every opportunity and also found the boundary when the opportunity presented itself.

Jefferson was timing the ball exquisitely and although he was fortunate to edge Meaker over first slip, he scored three further boundaries in that over in some style.

He leant into a square drive and dismissively pulled through mid-wicket before cutting through backward point.

A fine drive through cover bought up the 200 and two Taylor pulls through mid-wicket off Schofield took the stand past 100.

There was a scary moment for Jefferson when he pulled Meaker high to long leg but Arun Harinath appeared to lose the ball in the sun and could not take the catch cleanly.

Jefferson regained composure to strike an on side boundary but Surrey did not have to wait too long for their next opportunity. Jefferson cut Schofield aerially to backward point and Batty took a smart catch moving forward to end his 174-ball stay.

It put paid to the fine knock and the stand of 119. It was business as usual for Taylor though, who moved to a 55-ball fifty with his sixth four; a pleasant stroke through mid-wicket.

He was joined by Jacques du Toit, which bought back memories of their fine stand on the same ground last season.

The pair had taken their stand to 40 without looking in too much bother and Taylor’s dismissal after tea had not looked on the cards.

He had moved seamlessly to 63 but was undone by Batty, who got one through his defences. With the new ball coming up, it was important that du Toit and New were solid – and they were.

du Toit also added some fine strokes as his partner got himself in. He cut backward of point for four and then hoisted a six over long off that dropped just wide of the Members’ Pavilion.

Two straight drives took him towards fifty and that came from his 86th ball. He hit four boundaries and a six along the way.

He could have fallen later in the session when Batty shelled a catch at slip off Tremlett and he made them pay in moving to an unbeaten 72 by stumps.

New added a stubborn fifteen as the pair saw County through to stumps. That ensured three batting bonus points are in the bank, and two more can be gained if the team can add 67 more runs in the first 13 overs tomorrow.

The batsmen have certainly put the team into a good position on what was a good day’s viewing for Leicestershire supporters.