Taylor helps Leicestershire to easy win

James Taylor and Josh Cobb both hit half-centuries as Leicestershire Foxes picked up their first points in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition with a comfortable 32-run victory against Scottish Saltires at Grace Road.

An unbeaten 81 from Taylor and a limited-overs best of 61 by Cobb helped the Foxes post a challenging 253 for 4 after being put into bat.

The loss of two early wickets put the Saltires on the back foot and, despite a battling 50 from Ewan Chalmers, they could manage only 221 for 9 and slipped to their second defeat in 24 hours. Cobb and Jacques du Toit gave the Foxes the ideal start with an opening stand of 88 in the first 14 overs, with the Saltires' bowlers failing to find the right line or length.

Both players cashed in with some well-struck boundaries, with du Toit bringing up 50 with a four off Josh Davey in the ninth over. But the stand was broken when du Toit hit a full toss from Gordon Drummond to long-on.

Cobb continued to bat well, reaching his maiden half-century in one-day cricket off 46 balls with eight boundaries before also holing out to long-on off Drummond (2 for 52). But Taylor continued his fine start to the season with another splendid innings, sharing a stand of 74 in 14 overs with veteran Paul Nixon.

Taylor was not at his sparkling best, but kept the scoreboard moving with some clever placement as he and Nixon continued to keep the Foxes in command. Taylor reached his fifty off 55 balls but Nixon was out for 45, caught again at long-on off Davey.

Davey (2 for 55) also claimed the wicket of 17-year-old Shiv Thakor for 13, but Taylor finished unbeaten on 81 off 76 balls, having hit just four fours. The Saltires were never really in the hunt for the target as Leicestershire's seamers struck some early blows and only Chalmers offered any real resistance with a half-century off 67 balls.

The next highest scorer was captain Gordon Drummond, who hit 25 before becoming ninth out off the bowling of Wayne White. Nadeem Malik finished with 3 for 44 and captain Matthew Hoggard 2 for 38 as the Foxes eased to a comfortable victory.