Leicestershire v Northants, County Championship, Grace Road, 1st day

South Africans put Leicestershire on top

Cricinfo staff

May 13, 2008

Leicestershire 288 for 4 (Dippenaar 80, Allenby 63*, Ackerman 62) v Northamptonshire
Scorecard

It was a like a United Nations conference at Grace Road, with no fewer than 13 overseas-born players representing Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. The home side's foreign stars took the honours, with Boeta Dippenaar - the official overseas player, and one of nine South Africans in the match - leading the way with 80.

Dippenaar added 109 for the third wicket with HD Ackerman - four Tests and a long-term Kolpak - as Leicestershire built solidly throughout the day. However, both Ackerman and Dippenaar missed out on centuries that were there for the taking and Ackerman's dismissal was a truly South African affair: caught Andrew Hall, bowled Nicky Boje.

Dippenaar got closer to his hundred, striking 14 boundaries, before he was bowled off an inside edge by Lance Klusener but Northamptonshire couldn't take wickets in clusters.

There were a few talented young English players on show and opener Matthew Boyce hit seven boundaries in his 37 before falling to Hall. Jim Allenby added another half-century during the final session, but tight bowling from Boje, Klusener and Jason Brown meant the scoring rate didn't run away from Northamptonshire.

Allenby had earlier stood in for Paul Nixon, the Leicestershire captain, at the toss with Nixon absent to be at the birth of his daughter in the early hours of the morning.

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