Buck's burst puts County in command

Date: Friday 16 April 2010

Leicestershire lead by 155 with eight second-innings wickets in hand at the halfway stage of the LV=County Championship game against Derbyshire after an excellent performance on the second day.

The team did well to bowl out their hosts for 207, with Nathan Buck impressing with a career-best 4-44 and Matthew Hoggard and Claude Henderson taking three each.

It meant County had a 72-run lead to take into the second innings and by stumps had more than doubled that advantage with Matthew Boyce dropping anchor for an important unbeaten 40 from 125 balls as Leicestershire closed on 83-2.

Buck and Hoggard claimed three early scalps between them to get things off and running, and although Greg Smith and Robin Peterson made 54 apiece for Derbyshire and shared 94 for the sixth wicket to check progress, the team stuck to their guns.

Buck’s haul was due reward for some fine pace bowling, while Hoggard bowled well in taking 3-43 and Henderson continued his fine early season form with 3-30 from 18 excellent overs.

Boyce then shared useful stands of 31 and 41* respectively with Paul Nixon (12) and James Taylor (21* from 59 deliveries) as County built on their good display in the field with some careful batting. It was exactly what the situation demanded.

In stark contrast to the opening day, it was a pleasant morning and by mid-afternoon, we had warm and pleasant sunshine at the County Ground.

The day started delicately poised with Derbyshire resuming 239 runs behind on 40-2. It was certainly an opening session of two halves; a good first hour’s play from Leicestershire perspective and a fine second hour for Derbyshire.

County has an ideal start with three quick strikes but Smith and Peterson shared an unbroken stand of 74 to steady the ship.

Buck had the dangerous Wayne Madsen caught by Will Jefferson at second slip from the first ball he received of the morning.

That gave County a first bowling point and an early foothold. However, Smith and Garry Park are dangerous operators and the former started in extremely positive fashion; a straight drive bought a boundary and a cut over point also rocketed away.

However, Buck was bowling with good pace and control and he claimed his third wicket shortly after. Park drove over a straight ball and a stump went cartwheeling.

Smith continued his fine strokeplay with a nice off-drive, while Dan Redfern also struck through cover.

It was a frenetic start to proceedings and Redfern was next to go. He nicked Hoggard through to Tom New, who took a good low catch.

That bought former South Africa all-rounder Peterson to the crease and he got off the mark with a straight four.

AJ Harris and Wayne White replaced the opening pair and they were coming on just as Smith and Peterson were getting in. Indeed, the left-hander was driving well and played two nice strokes through backward point and mid-off.

The duo took the score past 100 and there were too many boundaries coming for Leicestershire’s liking. Smith, who has played well against County in the past, was certainly going for his strokes.

A change of tack was decided upon and Henderson was therefore introduced. The 50-run stand came up in the 35th over and had been compiled in good time. It took just more than ten overs.

Henderson applied the brakes though as only five runs came from his opening six overs before lunch. Still, Derbyshire had halved the deficit during the morning despite a poor start.

With half their first-innings wickets intact, it was still very much nip and tuck; like the first day had been.

At lunch, Smith (48*) and Peterson (41*) had doubled the score - which was a fine repair job – but there was no need for panic from County, who had seen wickets fall in bursts throughout the course of proceedings.

Leicestershire had the chance for a regroup and the afternoon session was a fresh start. The situation demanded patience and Hoggard and Henderson set off after lunch with that in mind.

The pair settled into good lines and lengths and it took the hosts a little while to pass 150, despite being just three shy at the break.

Both batsmen were rewarded for their efforts with half-centuries. Smith moved to 50 from 105 balls with eight fours and Peterson faced 95 balls and hit six boundaries while compiling his.

But it was generally accurate, economical stuff from the experienced County bowlers and Derbyshire were having to work hard for their runs during the afternoon.

A scrooge-like approach paid off handsomely as the game of twists aplenty took another decisive turn. Henderson made two critical breakthroughs to remove both settled members of the 94-run partnership.

The slow left armer had his counterpart Peterson well caught behind by New after the batsman had attempted to cut a ball that bounced and also had Smith caught off bat and pad at short leg by Taylor.

The double strike put County right back in the driving seat with Derbyshire still 109 runs behind with just three wickets to play with.

Lee Goddard drove impressively for four as he and Tim Groenewald attempted to construct a partnership, but the keeper lost his off peg to Buck – who now had a four-for - with the score on 174.

Henderson then struck for a third time as Groenewald was trapped leg-before and four wickets had been lost in the space of seven runs.

The pendulum had again swung, although the job was not complete. Mark Footitt decided to chance his arm and swiped Henderson over the top for four. A far more pleasant stroke through cover off Buck bought another boundary.

Steffen Jones also played a couple of straight drives for four and Derby were gaining some late momentum. Another lusty leg-side blow off Henderson found the fence too.

The duo took the side to their first batting point and the stand was getting increasingly frustrating. However, the skipper ended the partnership of 33 by clattering out two of Footitt’s poles.

There were 42 overs remaining in the day and it was important for the batsmen to construct sensibly after the bowlers’ graft.

Jefferson and Boyce started with due care and patience as Derbyshire bowled with good discipline. The left-hander got off the mark with a square drive for four in the fourth over; the first scoring shot of the innings.

Jefferson opened his boundary account with a well-timed pull through mid-wicket but fell shortly afterwards. He was trapped leg-before by Jones.

Boyce glanced a four down to fine leg as the team went in on 15-1 and he and Nixon continued to build after the interval.

Boyce played a great cut in the 17th over and a fine flick off his pads shortly after while Nixon played a strong shorthand-jab type shot back past the bowler.

It was good, solid stuff from the left-handed pair but when the bulk of the hard work looked done, Nixon fell leg-before to Groenewald for a grafted 12.

That bought Taylor to the crease and Chris Rogers introduced Peterson’s tweak into the attack. The young batter took on the spinner and hit him for four down the ground.

The watchful Boyce was playing a key role and two beautiful cover drives raced away as due reward for his work. Taylor was also being attentive and picked off a couple of twos through mid-wicket for good measure.

With due vigilance, the pair battled through to stumps to put County in a good position. There is a long way to go but the team can be pleased with their work thus far.