du Toit shines at Fenner's

Date: Wednesday 21 April 2010

Jacques du Toit’s sparkling 154 was the highlight of the opening day’s play between Cambridge MCCU and Leicestershire at Fenner’s.

du Toit shared century stands with James Taylor (56) and the in-form Wayne White (48) as Leicestershire made 411-7 against a plucky Cambridge side.

Jigar Naik (48*) and Nadeem Malik (35*) also shared a vibrant stand in the final session. Their partnership was unbroken on 93 at stumps.

It was all useful time in the middle for County’s batsmen against a hard-working home attack, who reduced the side to 47-3 at one point in proceedings.

Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bat on a sunny morning at the picturesque venue, but Peter Turnbull put in a fine opening burst to check progress.

Matthew Boyce had found the boundary with a lovely cover drive but he was first to fall. The batsman saw the ball cannon off the bottom of the bat onto his thigh pad and then roll back agonisingly onto the stumps.

Josh Cobb was then trapped leg-before and Will Jefferson caught behind by Adam Wheater as Cambridge MCCU started well.

Jefferson had played nicely to get to 23, including two nice flicks off his pads that raced away and a straight drive that went for three.

However, when he became Turnbull’s third victim, the team needed a stand to get a foothold in the game.

That was provided by du Toit and Taylor either side of lunch as the team regrouped to go in on 123-3 at the interval.

du Toit did survive a sharp low chance at backward point, although when he got himself in, he was extremely fluent and found the ropes nine times before lunch.

A couple of square cuts raced across the fast, lush green outfield at the extremely well-kept ground.

Everything was looking a picture and a clipped four through mid-wicket also raced away. The boundaries kept coming for du Toit, who had settled in nicely.

Taylor dug in too but it was certainly hard work against the seam trio of Turnbull, Robert Woolley and Charlie Hopkins, who all probed away.

However, Taylor also looked in good touch and two straight drives just before lunch were good strokes.

du Toit moved to a 60-ball fifty and the duo took their stand past 100 during the afternoon session.

A powerful Taylor cut raced for four through point and du Toit then caught the eye with three lofted drives that all found the ropes.

Taylor bought up his own half-century from 108 balls in the 44th over, and the knock contained eight fours at that stage.

However, the stand ended on 132 when Hopkins struck. The bowler ducked one back in and Taylor was trapped in front.

That bought Tom New to the crease and the keeper helped du Toit take the score past 200.

New hit one rasping cover drive but fell for 12 with the score on 212. Woolley, who had worked hard without reward to that point, gained some when New was out leg-before.

White, who has been in excellent touch recently, had an early reprieve when dropped in the slips on one but went on to play well again.

du Toit had moved seamlessly into the nineties and then bought up a well-deserved century from his 118th delivery. He had stroked 17 fours and added three more boundaries in quick succession.

White struck a four past mid-on as the team went in on 256-5 and the pair continued to build after tea.

White continued to play nicely while du Toit was now in sumptuous form. He took on the slow left arm spin of Frankie Brown and pulled a six into the trendy-looking flats at the side of the ground.

A two bought up the batter’s 150, which came from just 166 balls and included 22 fours and that aforementioned maximum.

However, the hosts were battling away and claimed both batsmen in quick succession. Both fell to Brown, who had White caught on the sweep which ended the 105-run stand, and then trapped du Toit leg-before.

Naik and Malik oversaw a tricky period with the new ball and played handsomely. Naik played a couple of beauties through extra, while Malik pulled a four away early on with great timing.

Both men played extremely well and accumulated some more-than-useful runs. Naik, who made a maiden first-class ton last season against Derbyshire, played with style while Malik also timed the ball sweetly.

Another Malik pulled four raced across the turf and Naik continued to find the boundary regularly; he had scored eight fours by stumps.

Both will hope to keep pushing on first thing before the bowlers get an opportunity to shine.