Leicestershire 199 for 6 (Thornely 97) v Glamorgan
Scorecard

Jim Allenby took 2 for 21 to restrict Leicestershire on the first day in Cardiff © PA Photos Enlarge

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Opener Michael Thornely fell three runs short of his maiden County Championship century on his Leicestershire debut on the opening day of their Division Two basement battle against Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Thornely - released by Sussex last season and only playing today because Matthew Boyce twisted an ankle in the morning warm-up - batted solidly for much of the day as the visitors closed on 199 for 6, having been 137 for 1.

Leicestershire won the toss and made a good start - but they did not have it their own way on an easy-paced Cardiff wicket. The visitors were going well but lost 4 for 33 runs in 20 overs either side of tea before Thornely went six overs before the close.

James Harris, the England Lions seam bowler who was playing his first game of the season after recovering from a groin injury, claimed one of those wickets while Jim Allenby finished with 2 for 21 from 17 overs against his former county.

Glamorgan went into the match having lost five of their six completed matches. In a bid to kick-start their season, former county captain Ossie Wheatley - a veteran of the club's Championship-winning side of 1969 - gave the side a pre-match talk on the outfield.

It was a useful toss to win for Ramnaresh Sarwan, deputising as Leicestershire captain in the absence of flu victim Matthew Hoggard. On the benign pitch Leicestershire reached lunch at 73 for 1 without too many scares. The only wicket to fall was Greg Smith who went leg before wicket playing across the line to a straight Allenby delivery. Until that point Smith had looked untroubled, taking 11 off an over from Harris.

Thornely made a useful Leicestershire debut, reaching his 50 after lunch from 126 balls with three fours as Leicestershire hit three figures in the 45th over. The visitors were looking in complete control until the second wicket partnership between Thornely and Eckersley was ended just before tea.

Harris, in his 12th over, pinned back Eckersley's off-stump. That began something of a collapse as Leicestershire went from 137 for 1 to 157 for 5. After tea Waters had Sarwan caught behind before two overs later Allenby broke through the defences of Josh Cobb, who went for an eight-ball duck.

Glamorgan had taken half Leicestershire's wickets when slow left-armer Dean Cosker trapped Jacques du Toit in front of the stumps. It meant four wickets had gone down for 33 runs in 20 overs.

And just before the close Thornely edged the second new ball to Allenby at first slip to give Waters his second wicket.