Nixon and McDonald lead the way for County

Date: Monday 24 May 2010

Leicestershire could not fully capitalise on a promising start as Glamorgan hit back on the first day of the LV=County Championship game at a sun-drenched Grace Road.

Paul Nixon batted beautifully in making 90 as he and Matthew Boyce (45) shared 94 for the first wicket. However, after the latter was dismissed shortly after lunch, the team lost their way a little despite Andrew McDonald's outstanding first half-century in Leicestershire colours.

McDonald made an unbeaten 86, which helped the team close on 263-8. He anchored the innings along with Nixon, who was promoted to open in the absence of Will Jefferson.

Nixon oversaw the opening session and McDonald the last and their stays overlapped in the middle of the day as they shared 57 for the fourth wicket.

Leicestershire had certainly started with intent but Glamorgan - who were spearheaded by the ever-impressive young seamer James Harris - fought hard and took three wickets for ten runs after the luncheon interval to put the cat among the pigeons.

Nixon and McDonald regrouped but when the left-hander fell shortly before tea, the visitors took the opportunity to seize control and reduced the side to 205-7.

Their progress was stalled by plucky stands of 37 and 21* between McDonald, Nathan Buck and Matthew Hoggard which ensured County ended as they had started - in decent shape.

It was the middle period that was costly as Glamorgan were led by the indefatigable Harris, who played for England Lions last week against Bangladesh alongside James Taylor. He was the pick of a disciplined attack and got good movement and bounce in taking 3-62.

Leicestershire won the toss and the decision was a no-brainer given the look of the wicket and the conditions, which were ideal for batting.

The team were struggling with injuries though as Jacques du Toit (back) was a late withdrawal and joined Jefferson (ankle), James Benning (back) and Wayne White (broken finger) on the injury list.

In the reshuffle, Nixon was promoted to open the innings, Tom New moved to three and Josh Cobb came into the middle order. There were also first Championship starts this season for Jigar Naik and Harry Gurney.

For Glamorgan, Jim Allenby returned to Grace Road and Harris was available again after Lions duty. Nixon and Boyce had first use of the pitch and played nicely.

Harris started from the Bennett End and the young seamer immediately extracted bounce. The second ball of the day flew through to 'keeper Mark Wallace and showed he meant business.

It was tough going for the batsmen but Nixon glanced neatly off his pads to open the boundary account in the sixth over off David Harrison. Boyce then drove squarely later that over.

Nixon pulled powerfully for four as the batsmen got themselves in but Harris nearly made a breakthrough when Boyce nicked just past Wallace and Allenby.

Will Owen was introduced in place of Harrison in an early change and he sent down a tidy first over. Boyce then glanced Harris for four and Harrison switched to the Bennett End.

Both men found the boundary as Boyce drove squarely and Nixon cut and glanced Owen. Boyce also played a trademark cover drive as the score and stand moved towards fifty.

That was passed as Boyce again drove handsomely through extra and Nixon played a fine stroke through mid on shortly after. Harris switched to the Pavilion End as Jamie Dalrymple continued to rotate things around.

That move almost paid dividends but Allenby couldn't hold Boyce at first slip when the batsman nicked.

Slow left armer Dean Cosker was introduced as Dalrymple decided taking pace off the ball was the way forward. With Harris and Cosker both operating economically the openers had a period of consolidation.

Allenby then replaced Harris and Owen returned for a second spell. Nixon flicked the youngster through mid-wicket for a welcome boundary as the session was drawing to a close.

Nixon drove through mid off and Boyce then pulled a great shot through mid wicket as the team went in on 81-0. Remarkably, both batsmen had almost symmetrical analyses; 40 not out with seven fours with Nixon having faced 95 balls and Boyce 97.

However, things took a turn after lunch. Nixon moved towards 50 with a glance off the pads and although Boyce drove nicely past mid off, he became the first wicket to fall. Harrison found the inside edge and Wallace took the catch behind the stumps to end the knock of 45.

One bought two as New was adjudged leg before in Harris' next over. Nixon then moved to a 114-ball fifty in a knock that included eight fours at that stage. He scored his ninth with a lovely flick off his pads that dissected the two fielders stationed at long leg and deep square.

Taylor was then trapped leg before by his Lions colleague Harris and the team had lost three quick wickets in the space of four overs. McDonald joined Nixon at the wicket and the left-hander continued on his way with an exquisite on drive off Harris.

McDonald survived a vociferous leg-before appeal from Allenby before driving his fellow countryman through extra. It was certainly a tricky period but Nixon was going well and delicately played through the cordon for a rare boundary off the scrooge-like Allenby, who sent down 19 overs for just 29 runs.

McDonald drove Cosker through the off side as he played nicely alongside the established Nixon. The batsman played two powerful strokes over mid on as he looked to take on the spinner.

However, the fourth wicket fell when the slow left armer found Nixon's edge to end his 178-ball stay; he hit 13 fours during his fine knock.

The Australian was unbeaten on 33 at tea with the score on 176-4. Cobb was unbeaten on three alongside him but fell to the impressive Harris just after when nicking a good delivery.

Naik came in and immediately pulled for four and also played a great shot through cover. The batsman took the score past 200 which gained the first batting point of the innings.

The batsman fell on the same score though as Allenby nipped one back to claim a leg-before. Although Claude Henderson battled away, he couldn't get off the mark and became another lbw victim. This time fellow spinner Cosker struck for the second time and the team were 205-7 just before the new ball was due.

It was hardly an ideal scenario but McDonald was grafting hard and moved to his first Leicestershire fifty from the 111th ball faced. He hit six fours in the process and it was an extremely important innings.

The new cherry was taken and Harris returned for another spell. In total, the young man sent down 24 overs, which was an impressive feat given the red-hot conditions.

Buck was in defiant mood and glanced delicately off his hips to open his account with a four. The batter also played a beautiful glance off his legs as Harris strayed into the pads for once.

McDonald then played a lovely flick through mid wicket and he and Buck shared 37 but the stand came to an end when the youngster jabbed down on a ball by Harrison and was caught by Dalrymple.

Two great strokes through mid wicket from McDonald helped the score past 250 and he and Hoggard helped the team through to the close. Although County will be disappointed they did not end in a position of greater strength following a good start, the situation is far from disastrous.

The aim will be to get to 300 in the morning and go from there.