Alternative match report

Date: Monday 24 May 2010

Sport Journalist student Christopher Finch is currently on a Work Experience Placement at Leicestershire CCC. Here is his take of the first day's play:

Despite a great start to the match, Leicestershire find themselves on the back foot heading in to day two of the LV=County Championship Division Two clash with leaders Glamorgan at Grace Road.

It was a tale of two batsmen for the Foxes, as 90 from opener Paul Nixon, and a rearguard 86 not out from Andrew McDonald at the end of the day helped them to 263-8 by the close.

Leicestershire made three changes from their last Championship defeat to Gloucestershire, bringing in Josh Cobb, Jigar Naik, and Harry Gurney for Will Jefferson, Jacques du Toit and AJ Harris. There was no place in the Glamorgan line-up for Robert Croft, who turns 40 during the game.

The home side won the toss and elected to bat first in glorious summer conditions. Nixon, opening due to Jefferson’s injury, and Matthew Boyce got off to a steady start, and punished any loose balls from opening bowlers James Harris and David Harrison. The Foxes went the whole of the morning session without losing a wicket, although the visitors created chances.

Boyce edged a delivery from Harris that fell just short of Leicestershire old boy Jim Allenby at slip before heading for the boundary. The golden chance of the morning came when Boyce again edged Harris to slip, and though the ball carried this time, Allenby dropped a sitter to give him another life.

Boyce was dismissed by Harrison just after lunch for 45 when an edge behind was caught by wicketkeeper Mark Wallace, bringing to an end an opening partnership of 94.

Tom New followed in the next over when he was adjudged lbw to Harris for one, and James Taylor was also out by the same method as Leicestershire lost three wickets for 10 runs.

Australian international McDonald survived a huge lbw appeal from Allenby when on two and promptly dispatched him for a boundary through the covers later in the over, relieving some of the pressure that had been building.

Despite the wickets falling at the other end, Nixon remained resolute and reached a classy half-century as the score ticked past 100. His controlled knock saw the bad deliveries picked off for boundaries, and gave the Foxes a platform to build a decent total.

He combined well with McDonald, who got off to a scratchy start before getting his eye in, and the pair soon reached a 50 partnership with successive fours from Nixon, who launched Dean Cosker over wide long-on twice.

With things seemingly settled down, and the veteran former England wicketkeeper approaching his first century of the season, he was struck in the groin from a Will Owen delivery and went down in great agony. On 87 at the time, he recovered but soon found himself back in the pavilion only three runs later following a juggled catch by Jamie Dalrymple at slip off the bowling of Cosker.

The score reached 176-4 at tea, but wickets fell regularly with the old ball throughout the evening session. Cobb was caught behind for three when he pushed forward at a Harris ball, and though Naik brought up Leicestershire’s first batting point, he was out lbw to Allenby for 15. Claude Henderson was next back in the hut for 0, becoming the fourth lbw victim of the innings.

McDonald brought up his first 50 for the Foxes just before the new ball was due, hitting six boundaries along the way. He put on 37 for the eighth wicket with Nathan Buck, either side of the new ball, before the youngster was caught by Dalrymple off Harrison for 10.

Captain Matthew Hoggard joined McDonald at the crease, and the two saw out the end of the day safely, passing the second batting point in the process to close on 263-8.

In the intense heat at Grace Road, Harris was the star of the bowlers, finishing the day with figures of 3-62 from 24 overs, while there were two wickets apiece for both Harrison and Cosker.

Glamorgan will certainly feel they have the better of the game after the opening day, particularly considering the start Leicestershire got off to, and will be hoping to bowl the Foxes out early on day two, to claim maximum bowling points and allow as much batting time as possible.

Meanwhile the Foxes will be hoping McDonald can hang around with Hoggard, and final batsman Gurney, to take the score closer to 300.