Jefferson and Naik shine for County

Date: Thursday 22 April 2010

Will Jefferson and Jigar Naik were in fine form as Leicestershire continued to dominate the first-class game against Cambridge MCCU at Fenner’s.

Jefferson made his maiden first-class century for team while Naik shared a 151 opening partnership with the batsman as well as taking a career-best 4-24 earlier in the day.

That helped bowl Cambridge out for 199, although there was some fine resistance from Adam Wheater and Robert Woolley, who both made half-centuries.

It gave a first-innings lead of 212 and by stumps that had been extended to 363 as County ended on 151 without loss. Jefferson was unbeaten on 101 and Naik 45.

All in all it was another good day for Leicestershire, who declared on their overnight total of 411-7 immediately.

That meant Naik, who has had a super game thus far, finished the innings unbeaten on 48 and Nadeem Malik was 35 not out.

Malik was straight into the action with the ball and immediately got into a groove. Sam Cliff was his opening partner and he too caused problems.

Cliff, who looks as though he has gained a yard of pace from last season, gained the first wicket to fall when he removed opener Ben Ackland.

The batsman was trying to get his bat out of the way of a rising delivery but succeeded only in guiding it to Naik at third slip.

Stephen Gray could have fallen two balls later but Matthew Boyce couldn’t grasp the opportunity at slip when Cliff again found the edge.

Both men were producing fine opening bursts but Wheater – who is contracted to Essex – impressed with the bat after looking handy with the gloves yesterday.

A pulled four and driven boundary were both fine shots from Wheater, who settled in and batted nicely.

Malik gained some reward for his hard work though when he removed Gray. The batsman again nicked and Jacques du Toit took a sharp low catch to his left.

It was good to see Malik and Cliff looking so menacing and Harry Gurney and Wayne White then picked up the baton.

Both seamers were extracting bounce from a good surface and home skipper Nick Lee had to be on his toes from word go.

Wheater continued on his way and drove handsomely through the covers. Another powerfully pulled four bought the batter another boundary.

A cut followed by a drive bought up the ‘keeper’s well-played fifty and the young batsman received plenty of applause from the decent-sized crowd, who were enjoying the late-April sunshine.

However, Wheater will have been disappointed with his manner of dismissal. After playing so well, a loose drive off Gurney tamely picked out White at cover point and the all-rounder did the rest.

Gurney bowled with good control and his first ten overs cost just 16 runs. White, who celebrated his 25th birthday today, then got the ideal present as he picked up a wicket.

Frankie Brown – who had previously survived when Tom New couldn’t quite hold onto a diving catch off Gurney – again edged to the keeper, who took the catch.

That left the score on 101-4 at lunch and Malik and Cliff returned to the attack after the break.

Although the duo again bowled tidily it was Naik who made the major impact in the afternoon session.

He outfoxed captain Lee, who had batted well for 39. He was tempted down the track by a well-flighted delivery and hit the ball in the air to mid-wicket, where Josh Cobb took a fine low catch diving to his left.

White then gained the second wicket as he did the first, as New took a catch behind the stumps from a good ball that shaped away from Richard Hesketh.

New was then again in the action as Naik picked up his second and third victims. Both Craig Park and Peter Turnbull were caught behind in contrasting styles.

Park got an under-edge when attempting to sweep while Turnbull nudged forward and got a touch. That left the score on 135-8 and four wickets had gone in the space of seven runs.

However, Cambridge weren’t going down without a fight and usual opener Akbar Ansari, who went over on his ankle on the first day, came out to offer some brave resistance.

At the other end, Wooley batted beautifully against some excellent bowling. The lower-order batsman - who has appeared for Lancashire 2s in the past - played with style and gusto and found the boundary when the opportunity arose.

After sharing 43 with Woolley, Ansari chopped a Naik delivery onto his stumps and Malik then returned to have Charlie Hopkins well caught at slip by du Toit.

Inbetween, Woolley moved to a fluent half-century from 60 balls and he was unbeaten on 55 when he ran out of partners.

Leicestershire then made hay while the sun shined and captain for the game Jefferson dominated at the wicket after he and Naik saw off the lively Turnbull early on.

Jefferson played beautifully through the off-side in playing a number of his trademark drives and was equally comfortable playing off both front and back foot.

He also cut the ball and picked off runs down the ground and mid-wicket too. A half-century came from just 55 balls with eight fours.

Naik, meanwhile, picked up where he left off in the first innings after deputising up front for the unwell Boyce. He was patient and also hit a crushing blow over mid-wicket when he became more expansive.

Jefferson continued to impose himself and was aggressive against the slow left arm of Brown. He played a number of cover drives and also hit well through the leg-side.

The opener moved seamlessly into the nineties and bought up his first ton for County with a punch through cover. It came at better than a run a ball – in 96 deliveries – and scored 14 fours in the process.

The skipper celebrated with a broad smile and acknowledgement to the dressing room, and added a further run by stumps. Naik was 45 not out by stumps and it had been another fine day for the team.