Brilliant White puts old boys to the sword

Date: Saturday 17 April 2010

Wayne White made his maiden first-class century against his old team as Leicestershire enjoyed an excellent third day of the LV=County Championship game against Derbyshire at the County Ground.

White played brilliantly in scoring an unbeaten 101 from 142 balls and Nathan Buck then took the key wicket of Chris Rogers as Derbyshire closed on 13-1 in pursuit of 403 to win.

The all-rounder struck eight fours and a maximum and shared a valuable 95-run stand with Buck – who battled well for 14 from 112 deliveries - for the eighth wicket as Leicestershire declared their second innings on 330-8.

Matthew Boyce also made an impressive 90 and was involved in partnerships worth more than 50 with James Taylor and Josh Cobb, who both tallied 25.

It left Derbyshire with a tricky period to bat and home captain Rogers came in despite taking a nasty blow to his left hand while backing up in the field.

He was dismissed from the fourth ball of the innings as Buck induced an edge through to Tom New. Although Wayne Madsen and Paul Borrington saw things through to the close without further damage, it had been another good day for the team.

Leicestershire started with a lead of 155 and Boyce and Taylor at the wicket and the opening session belonged to County, who scored 98-2 in the 34 overs of cricket.

It took the score to 181-4 and extended the lead to 253, with Boyce unbeaten on 86 at that stage.

Proceedings started well on a glorious morning with Taylor dabbing a four down to third man. A lovely Boyce clip for four through mid-wicket opened the left-hander’s boundary account for the morning.

There was a blow when Taylor was trapped leg-before by Mark Footitt to a ball that shaped back and that ended the stand of 52.

However, Boyce played a beautiful stroke wide of mid on and a single bought up his patient and carefully constructed fifty. It was quality accumulation and came from 151 deliveries with nine fours hit in the process.

Cobb came to join the left-hander just as Footitt was cranking it up and it was a good test for the young batsman.

Derbyshire’s opening bowler was sending it down with pace and although it wasn’t always deadly accurate, it was certainly hostile.

Cobb pushed nicely down the ground to keep the board ticking over and Boyce also played drives through backward point that raced away.

The lead went past 200 with Boyce playing down to third man and Cobb hit a glorious drive through the off side when Greg Smith – who generally bowls lively seamers - came on and bowled his off breaks.

With Robin Peterson on at the other end, it was now a spin monopoly in proceedings. Cobb was intent on being aggressive and a good strike over mid-off introduced the left armer’s arrival.

However, it was that attacking intent off Peterson that bought about his downfall. The youngster did not get enough on a lofted drive and Garry Park - who had been positioned there for exactly this sort of shot - ran around and took a smart catch.

Cobb will have been disappointed to fall to that mode of dismissal but his bright and entertaining knock had pushed things forward.

Boyce continued to play nicely and two excellent cut strokes off the backfoot provided welcome boundaries. He was joined by the in-form New at the wicket.

Rogers continued to shuffle the pack with a number of bowlers being used. Park and Dan Redfern had just an over apiece before lunch as the Australian utilised all of his options.

So, at the break, the lead stood at 253 with six wickets in hand. Accumulation was still going to be the name of the game on a pitch that was not easy to bat on.

However, things took a turn after the interval as Peterson took three quick wickets. Firstly, Boyce attempted a drive over extra but didn’t strike it cleanly.

He chipped the ball in the air – which always gives the fielder a chance - although, to be fair, it was a fine catch with a diving Borrington clinging on.

Although visibly gutted to miss out on three figures, it had been a good old-fashioned opener’s dig. Boyce was very watchful and developed fluency in his play as the innings developed.

New (20) had played well but after compiling runs comfortably, the batter drove uppishly and picked out Tim Groenewald at mid on.

Claude Henderson also fell on the drive. He hit the ball cleanly but succeeded only in giving Rogers a catch at short extra cover.

You have to credit a fine post-lunch fightback from Derbyshire with three wickets falling in the space of twenty runs in forty minutes, but the batsmen will have been disappointed.

Although Peterson was bowling accurately and nagging away, he had not been extracting massive turn and bounce. Both Boyce and New looked well set, too.

Still, County had to deal with the reality of the situation and they refused to feel sorry for themselves. A partnership was needed to negate the possibility of a home win and White, who had been playing well previously, provided it with Buck.

White moved into the twenties with a number of fine strokes; two straight drives were outstanding shots.

With the wickets falling just after the 80-over mark, the opportunity was there for Derbyshire to go all-out attack. Rogers duly took the new ball with the score on 214-7 after 88 and Groenewald was bought back.

Peterson continued to wheel away with the new cherry – and who could blame Rogers for not opting for a second paceman given the spinner’s success to that point.

Still, Leicestershire had not worked so hard to surrender meekly and White and Buck fought bravely. The lead was taken past 300 in the process.

Both men played important roles as the session progressed. White was the main aggressor, while Buck hung around in a fine act of defiance.

Runs were hard to come by, although they were taken when the opportunity arose. A powerful pull for four from White over mid-wicket was a particularly fine stroke.

Buck played a nice late dab down to third man as the pair not only saw off the new ball but also added 43 important runs between lunch and tea.

White was unbeaten on 43 from 74 deliveries at tea, with Buck standing firm on 9 from 67 balls after battling for 80 minutes at that stage. It was good work from the duo and meant the lead stood at 329 with four sessions in the game remaining.

White immediately took the attack to Peterson after the break. A lofted drive for four went into the dining room and took the batsman towards 50.

It was vibrant stuff from the all-rounder, who moved to a well-played fifty from 86 balls with five fours.

Even a power cut on the ground could not check progress in the middle, with White in fine fettle and Buck displaying great patience - despite neither able to know how many runs they had scored with the board out of action!

The stand passed 50 and Footitt then peppered White during another fast spell. After being clattered on the side of the helmet, he responded emphatically with a wonderful off drive which hurried across the turf for four.

White was the main aggressor of the partnership and although Buck was bowled by Park to end 37.1 overs of the duo resisting in tandem, the all-rounder continued to play well.

A pulled four was followed by a straight six as he moved into the nineties and a few quickly scampered twos took him towards the significant landmark.

Being on 98 and knowing a declaration was imminent must have been nervy, but then came the proud moment.

White got down and lap-swept Peterson for three to take him to a first hundred in the first-class arena on his old home ground.

A punch of the air and a firm wave of the bat towards the visiting dressing room and his family demonstrated how much it meant. It was a great moment.

Matthew Hoggard waved in the troops immediately and Buck then gave the team a flying start with the ball. With key man Rogers falling, it was a fine end to another good day’s performance.

It may have been even better had White clung onto a sharp low chance at third slip to claim Madsen’s wicket in the last over, but County can reflect on a third day’s work very well done.

They have set up an excellent position and an interesting final day’s play awaits.