Taylor makes double ton as County enjoy great day

Date: Saturday 01 August 2009

Day Two Report: Surrey v Leicestershire 593-5dec (Taylor 207*, du Toit 100*, Dippenaar 86, Ackerman 75, New 53, Smith 46)

James Taylor became Leicestershire's youngest ever double-centurion and Jacques du Toit made hundred as Leiceshire enjoyed a fabulous second day at The Oval.

The duo shared an unbroken stand of 230 for the sixth wicket, with Taylor making a sensational unbeaten 207 from 329 balls and du Toit scoring 100 not out from 123 deliveries as County declared on 593-5 just prior to tea.

Unfortunately, that was all the action possible as rain and bad light combined to prompt an early close. However, that couldn’t put a dampener on what was a brilliant day for the club – and in particular young Taylor.

The batsman played tremendously throughout and was not fazed by any of Surrey’s bowlers or tactics.

Before he and du Toit combined to good effect, Taylor and Tom New (53) picked up where they left off yesterday evening, taking their partnership to 105.

The duo watched the ball carefully and picked off the bad ball which got things off to an ideal start.

Both men hit a brace of boundaries in quick succession, with Taylor driving past mid-off and extra and New taking fours through cover and third man.

Surrey tried everything in attempting to break the stand, including regular rotation of the bowlers and trying a short-pitched attack against Taylor.

That plan was carried out by Andre Nel, who came around the wicket and banged most balls in to a heavily-packed legside field.

Taylor was having none of it though; ducking, weaving and defending well. New continued to tuck into anything off line at the other end, including nice strokes through mid-wicket and cover.

Another clip through mid-wicket bought the ‘keeper his half-century, which came from 75 balls.

The partnership moved past 100 to become the third century stand of the innings and the pair put County in a position to look for full batting points.

Unfortunately, time was running out and 37 runs were needed off six to make it to 400.

New perished in that pursuit of quick runs. A wide ball came off the toe of his bat to give Jon Batty a simple catch off Tim Linley.

du Toit came in to add more runs with the youngster, and a hundred was now well within his sights as a four through mid-on taking the teen into his 90s.

Taylor continued to move towards the landmark and made it from his 224th ball faced; a scampered two down to fine leg.

It was an excellent knock from the batter, and a well-deserved second Championship hundred of the season. His next run was his 500th of the season and he continued to bat nicely.

du Toit was also keeping the momentum going, and scored three boundaries before the interval. Two of those were straight strokes off Chris Schofield and the batsman also cut Nel for four as the 400 came up.

The paceman then reverted to his earlier plan against Taylor before the interval, with just as little success. The batter nudged a short ball to fine leg for another four, with the team going into lunch on 409-5.

Runs were then piled on after the break as Taylor and du Toit really pressed down on the accelerator. Both found the boundary on numerous occasions and the 50 and the fourth 100 stand of the innings came up.

Landmarks kept coming with du Toit’s 50 the next, made from 79 balls with seven fours.

Taylor then played the shot of the match with a powerful, precise cut through point that flew to the boundary before anyone had blinked.

The youngster went on to bring up his 150 from the 288th ball he faced; 15 fours were hit in the process.

The stand then passed 150 as a flurry of sixes came. Taylor struck a maximum over long on before du Toit hit three huge straight sixes at the Pavilion End that had supporters scrambling in the stands in front of the dressing rooms and in the Members’ pavilion.

Taylor hit another six over mid-wicket which was carried over the rope by Chris Jordan, and the batter then found the boundary twice with flicks off his hips as the runs continued to flow.

The partnership passed 200 late into the afternoon session with both batsmen eyeing up their next targets of a double-century and three-figures respectively.

Taylor was first to the milestone, moving past 200 with a flicked four from a Jordan bouncer. It was the 21st four of the 324-ball knock, with the two sixes added for good measure.

It was a joy to watch and du Toit also batted beautifully. The batsmen reached his deserved century from just 123 balls with ten fours and three maximums and fully played his part in an unbroken 230-run stand.

That partnership was just seven short of an all-time sixth wicket record for Leicestershire against Surrey when Dippenaar called time on the innings just before tea.

Although the bowlers couldn’t be unleashed as rain set in, it was a day to remember for the team in the capital which bought back memories of Josh Cobb and HD Ackerman shining at Lord's this time last year.