Taylor shines but County struggle

Date: Tuesday 11 August 2009

First Day Report: Leicestershire 177 (Taylor 45, Jones 4-43) lead Derbyshire 67-1 by 110 runs at Grace Road.

Derbyshire ended the first day in a position of great strength after a solid all-round performance against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

The visitors bowled County out for 177 despite James Taylor’s 45, and then moved to within 110 of the team thanks in large to a watchful knock by Chris Rogers (29*).

There was nothing spectacular about the visitors’ display; it was accuracy and discipline which were the two key traits in their day’s work.

Patience was the key to batting on a surface that offered a bit when the bowlers hit their straps, but sadly a number of County’s batsmen got out to strokes they will be disappointed with.

Taylor showed what could be done with a well-constructed knock, and Greg Smith was another who knuckled down impressively (20 from 74 balls).

Nathan Buck (24*) was the only other batter to pass twenty in the innings - and that statistic shows why the team struggled.

County showed three changes from the side that lost at Colwyn Bay, as Matthew Boyce, Wayne White and Jigar Naik came in for Chris Thompson, Jacques du Toit and Harry Gurney.

With two spinners in the team, things began with promise as skipper Boeta Dippenaar won the toss and elected to bat. However, County were immediately pinned on the back foot when losing two wickets in the fourth over.

Boyce was the first wicket to fall on his return when driving Steffan Jones (4-43) uppishly to Garry Park at point and Dippenaar fell shortly after, feathering a catch down the leg-side to Jamie Pipe.

That bought HD Ackerman to the crease and he started in neat fashion with three nice cover drives, two of which raced to the boundary.

Smith also stroked a delightful straight four and the duo looked as though they were negating the swinging ball.

Both Jones and Graham Wagg moved the ball around, and change bowlers Greg Smith and Tim Groenewold also shaped it nicely.

Indeed, it was the introduction of Derbyshire's Smith (3-31) that broke the stand, with Ackerman nicking an away swinger to Rogers at slip.

That left the side on 36-3 and with Groenewald sending down four maidens in succession, life was not getting any easier for the batsmen.

Taylor started positively though, and after a fine cover drive, took the first runs off the former Warks man with a lovely flick through mid-wicket.

Smith was also batting well without gaining much tangible reward in the form of runs. This was summed up when a perfect straight drive knocked out the middle stump at the non-striker's end.

The youngster did find the third man boundary but after grafting so hard, was dismissed for 20 in just twenty minutes before lunch.

A lapse in concentration meant he perished on the drive as Park held another comfortable catch in the point region.

Taylor continued to play neatly and stroked a number of well-timed drives through the on-side. He went into lunch on 25 not out out in a total of 75-4 and Tom New also dug in before the interval. He opened up afterwards with two square drives in Jones' second over after the break.

Those boundaries were rarities though and both men were made to work extremely hard as a tight ring and niggly bowling meant scoring was difficult.

Derbyshire's accuracy and persistence then paid off when New was tempted into an aerial drive. There was a sense of déjà vu as Park claimed a third catch at point and County were now in bother with five of the top six out just after lunch.

Wickets continued to fall steadily, despite strike bowler Wagg being forced out of the attack with a shoulder injury. White was next to fall, becoming Smith's third victim when clipping a catch to substitute fielder Edward Jones at mid-wicket.

Every change Rogers instigated paid off, with leg-spinner Mark Lawson (2-20) the next to prosper after being introduced at the Pavilion End.

Taylor, who had played beautifully, attempted an uncharacteristic rash sweep and was pinned in front, and Claude Henderson, who played a few nice strokes in making 16, was also trapped leg-before when going back to one that kept low.

Jones thought he had Naik caught behind shortly after but he did not have to wait long to get his man when the batter chopped one on.

Buck and AJ Harris shared a spirited last-wicket stand worth 30, with the youngster playing one cracking cover drive as he made his first runs in the first-class arena.

The teenager scored three four runs en route to a useful contribution and Harris also nailed a pull to the boundary as the duo frustrated the visitors.

However, Harris eventually fell to the same stroke, being caught by Groenewald at deep square-leg to become Jones' fourth victim.

In reply, captain Rogers, who had a brief spell with Leicestershire in 2005, batted sensibly alongside Wayne Madsen.

The main objection was accumulation and keeping wickets intact and the duo shared 49 for the first wicket. It was not without scare as Harris and White both went past the outside edge of Rogers, while Buck also bowled with decent pace.

However, Madsen picked off a couple of short balls and Rogers stroked two glorious cover drives as the pair knuckled down.

Dippenaar decided to bring on Henderson with ten overs remaining and a change of pace immediately paid dividends.

The slow left armer struck with his very first delivery, trapping Madsen leg-before plumb in front to gain a welcome breakthrough.

New batsman Park battled to the close with his captain, though, with the visitors ending in healthy shape on 67-1.

However, despite a generally poor day, County know that run-scoring is not easy and a couple of wickets would soon change the picture.