Weather wins at Grace Road

Rain and bad light end slim hope of Grace Road result

Last updated: 16th May 2008

David Sales

Sales: Unbeaten

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LV County Championship - Division Two

Grace Road

Leicestershire 527 (J du Toit 103, H H Dippenaar 80, P A Nixon 79, J Allenby 70, H D Ackerman 62, N Boje 4-120) v Northamptonshire 302-3 (N J O'Brien 78, R A White 69 no, D J G Sales 62 no)

Leicestershire (10pts) drew with Northamptonshire (9pts)

Leicestershire and Northants played out a draw at Grace Road as the weather intervened once more on the final day.

Northants added 26 runs to their overnight score of 276-3 without losing any further wickets, doing enough to earn an extra bonus point.

David Sales (62 no) and Rob White (69no), who both completed their half centuries on day three, remained unbeaten when the match was abandoned after only 30 minutes of play.

Leicestershire were also able to reclaim the three points they were in danger of losing due to a slow over rate earlier in the match.

Day three

The weather made a big impact on proceedings at Grace Road on Thursday with just 132 runs scored and two wickets taken as the match stuttered towards an almost certain draw.

Niall O'Brien added just two to his overnight score as he was out for 78 when caught by Nixon off the bowling of Dillon Du Preez.

His dismissal followed straight after Wessels went for 33 but David Sales and Rob White hung around to score 199 between them to steady the ship.

Sales was not out for exactly 50 when the day came to a premature close, while White was unbeaten on 56.

Day Two

Jacques du Toit bagged a maiden first-class century as Leicestershire scored their biggest total for nearly two years.

Du Toit, who will qualify for England by residence in October, made 103 while Paul Nixon added an aggressive 79 that included 10 fours and a six.

James Allenby fell soon after the resumption and Claude Henderson soon followed, but Nixon joined du Toit to put on 129 in 28 overs to dash any hopes the away team had of running through the tail.

But du Toit was surprised by a Nicky Boje delivery that turned and bounced, and the South African then trapped Nixon lbw trying to sweep.

But Jermaine Lawson rubbed salt into Northants' wounds by adding a quickfire 35 from 29 balls, before removing Stephen Peters with a leg stump yorker as the reply got under way.

But Niall O'Brien crashed 76 not out with 16 boundaries to keep the visitors in the game, adding an unbeaten 95 with Mark Wessels for the second wicket.

Day One

Leicestershire look to be on course for maximum batting points against Northamptonshire after finishing day one at Grace Road on 288-4.

Boeta Dippenaar, one of 10 South Africans in action in the Division Two fixture, led the way with 80 as the home side made the most of the chance to bat first.

The overseas signing shared a stand of 109 for the third-wicket with compatriot HD Ackerman, who continued his fine run of form with 62.

James Allenby, who had to stand in as captain at the toss with Paul Nixon absent following the birth of his daughter in the early hours, reached the close on 63 not out.

Northamptonshire will have been disappointed not to have picked up more than one wicket with the new ball, Tom New the man to go when he was bowled by David Lucas.

Although Andrew Hall got rid of Matt Boyce for 37 to take his first County Championship wicket for Northants, the home side dominated for the rest of the day.