Surrey on top at Grace Road

Date: Tuesday 16 June 2009

Day One Report: Leicestershire 165 (New 44, Dippenaar 39, Dernbach 6-47, Jordan 3-54) lead Surrey 121-1 (Brown 46*, Newman 40, Ramprakash 29*) by 44 runs, with the visitors having nine wickets remaining.

Leicestershire endured a difficult opening day from start to finish as Surrey took command of the Championship game against Grace Road.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, County could make only 165 as Jade Dernbach took 6-47, and Surrey then moved to 121-1 at the close, with Michael Brown (46*) and Mark Ramprakash (29*) unbeaten at stumps.

Leicestershire could perhaps have anticipated a luckless day ahead when things started badly even before play had got underway, as bowling all-rounder Wayne White was forced to withdraw from the starting line-up just before the toss with an ankle injury.

His replacement Jigar Naik then suffered a cruel twist of fate by breaking an arm whilst batting, and the off-spinner is likely to be on the sidelines for at least six weeks.

The team also had a massive appeal for caught-behind against Brown turned down in the seventh over, and the batsman then dropped anchor to guide his side into a position of great strength by the close.

So, all in all, it was not a day to remember for the side. In County's innings, nobody made a half-century after Boeta Dippenaar won the toss and elected to bat on a good pitch as opening duo Jade Dernbach and Chris Jordan shared nine wickets.

Tom New, who was selected as wicket-keeper for the game in place of Paul Nixon, came closest with 44 and Dippenaar made an aesthetically-pleasing 39, but the team generally struggled against the swinging ball.

Dernbach particularly caught the eye with 6-47, but Jordan's contribution of 3-54 was equally valuable as the seamers moved the ball around.

The impressive Dernbach struck two important early blows by removing both of Leicestershire's opening batsmen.

Matthew Boyce offered no stroke to a Dernbach delivery that nipped back and removed his off stump, while Josh Cobb flashed a drive into the hands of Chris Schofield at second slip.

Dippenaar and HD Ackerman steadied the ship with a stand of 27, 21 of which Ackerman contributed in stylish fashion.

The batsman played a number of attractive strokes, but perished on the drive looking for his fourth boundary.

Keeper Jonathan Batty, who had earlier put down Dippenaar off Dernbach, took the catch this time as Jordan claimed his first wicket.

The bowler then took his second via a smart catch by Schofield in the cordon to remove Jim Allenby, and the team were in trouble at 49-4.

James Taylor joined Dippenaar at the crease, and the young batsman knuckled down with his senior partner.

The batsman did survive a tough chance as Batty again couldn't cling on to a diving effort - this time off the pacy Stuart Meaker - and County were grateful for another reprieve.

The duo settled in nicely, with Dippenaar finding the boundary with regularity from a number of well-timed strokes.

Taylor also played well, including a huge six over long-on from the bowling of leg-spinner Chris Schofield.

Unfortunately, just as the pair looked as though they had seen things through to lunch, the team suffered a huge double blow as both were dismissed just prior to the interval after putting on 38.

Dippenaar was first to fall, as Mark Butcher held a good low catch at slip from the bowling of off-spinner Murtaza Hussain.

Taylor was then deceived by a slower ball from Jordan to be trapped leg-before for 16 with the score still on 87, and County went in at lunch six down.

New battled away after the interval to ensure County ended with 165, as the left-hander made 44 of the 78 runs made in the final four partnerships of the innings.

Claude Henderson (12), Naik (7) and AJ Harris (13) all offered useful support to the 'keeper, but all fell to Dernbach as he wrapped up his five-for.

Henderson was caught by Batty, Naik was adjudged leg-before after soldiering on with a broken arm, and Harris fell to another good Butcher catch.

New took the ninth wicket as his cue to expand, and he found the boundary twice with lofted blows off Schofield.

However, he became Dernbach's sixth victim as he feathered a catch through to his opposite number having scored 44 from 49 balls with eight fours.

In reply, County, who were already a man down with Naik’s injury, needed early strikes to get a foothold in the game. However, a combination of Newman’s aggression and Brown’s stubbornness nullified the threat during a stand of 58.

Harris thought he had a crucial breakthrough when Brown attempted an expansive drive at an outswinger, but he survived the loud appeal.

After that point, the opener knuckled down and was determined to bat through the rest of the day.

His opening partner Newman made 40 in quick time, but fell in his positive manner after he misjudged a lofted drive off the accurate slow-left arm bowling of Henderson.

Cobb took a fine steepling catch at mid-on, and although County continued to bowl really well, a further breakthrough could not be taken before the close.

The fact that Brown and Ramprakash scored only five fours between them showed the team made the visitors work hard for their runs, with all four bowlers used displaying excellent economy.

Harris, Henderson, Harry Gurney and Allenby all probed away nicely throughout, but Surrey took a safety-first approach, which was their perogative in the circumstances.

Allenby had a shout for another caught behind in the last over after trying an over of off-spin, but Ramprakash came through it unscathed.

That ensured he and Brown reduced the deficit to just 44 runs, and the duo will resume their unbroken 63-run partnership tomorrow morning with the visitors possessing nine wickets in hand.