Slater maiden ton props up Derbys

Leicestershire's hopes of ending a two-year wait for an County Championship victory were frustrated by a maiden first-class century from Derbyshire opener Ben Slater on a controversial day that saw India Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara given out for handling the ball.

Pujara became only the 59th player in the history of the first-class game to be out in that manner and the first in England since 1996, when Derbyshire wicketkeeper Karl Krikken was dismissed in the same fashion against the Indian tourists at Derby.

But Slater's first hundred in his 23rd game, and 52 from Wes Durston, lifted Derbyshire from 62 for 3 to 289 before Mark Footitt took his 100th wicket in all cricket this season as Leicestershire closed on 25 for 2.

For a game with so little riding on it, tempers flared after five overs when umpires Martin Saggers and Jeff Evans had words with Billy Godleman and Leicestershire captain Niall O'Brien after the Derbyshire opener was involved in a collision with Ben Raine, who was also spoken to. Godleman lasted only five more overs before he edged Raine low to third slip and there was a big wicket for Leicestershire when Derbyshire skipper Wayne Madsen was trapped half-forward by Charlie Shreck for eight.

That brought in Pujara for his home debut - but it was one to forget as he wrote his name in the record books for the wrong reasons in the 20th over of the day. Pujara played a ball from former Derbyshire fast bowler Atif Sheikh down into the pitch and then knocked it away with his glove as it threatened to bounce into his stumps. Leicestershire's fielders appealed immediately and after the umpires consulted, Pujara was sent on his way to mark an unusual chapter in what has been a disappointing summer in England for one of the world's most highly-rated batsmen.

At that stage, Leicestershire's decision to put Derbyshire in was looking a good one but inconsistent bowling helped Slater and Durston mount a recovery that saw the home side reach lunch at 120 for 3.

Slater was dropped on 59 at slip off James Sykes in the last over of the morning and that proved a big moment in the day as he and Durston took advantage of some generous width offered by the seamers. They added 124 in 27 overs before Durston swept Sykes to backward square leg and Sheikh struck in the next over when Alex Hughes was lbw one ball after he was hit in the box.

Harvey Hosein gloved a hook at Raine but Slater reached an accomplished hundred off 195 balls when he drove Sykes through the covers for his 15th four.

Former Leicestershire seamer Wayne White chased a wide ball from Raine and was caught behind without scoring before Slater's innings ended when he edged Sheikh low to second slip.

After a 75-minute bad light delay, Tony Palladino chipped Rob Taylor to mid-on and Ben Cotton had his off stump knocked back by Shreck which left Leicestershire with eight overs to negotiate before the close.

Greg Smith did not survive, edging a firm-footed drive which saw Footitt become the first Derbyshire player to take 100 wickets in a season since Geoff Miller in 1984 and Sykes was lbw to Palladino in the final over to leave Leicestershire in an all-too familiar position.

Slater's hundred came a day after he signed a two-year contract: "It's a nice little present if you can put it like that to top it off," he said. "I'm delighted to get my maiden first-class hundred and it's a good feeling."

Raine added: "It's a very good pitch. We bowled on the overhead conditions, it was a bit cloudy and we thought it might do something off the pitch but it didn't do much. Even so, we've had a positive day which is something to look forward to for next season."