Leicestershire dominate third day

Northamptonshire 250 and 10 for 1 v Leicestershire 448 for 9 dec.
Scorecard

James Taylor struck his third County Championship century of the season as Leicestershire's batsmen dominated on the third day against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. The 20-year-old passed the 1,000-run mark in this season's Championship en route to a magnificent 156 off 316 balls as the visitors declared on 448 for 9. The hosts, who made 250 in their first innings, had reached 10 for 1 in their second when bad light ended play.

Former England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon contributed 65 with Northamptonshire debutant David Burton claiming 5 for 75 - his last four dismissals came in the space of 14 balls. Leicestershire started the day on 159 for 2 - 91 runs behind Northamptonshire's first innings total - with Greg Smith resuming on 102 and Taylor on 32.

Smith was to add just two more to his overnight total before he left a straight delivery from former Middlesex seamer Burton and looked back to see his leg stump being toppled. But Taylor hung around to complete a patient half-century off 118 balls including one six launched over midwicket.

Veteran Nixon also made a fluent fifty off 75 balls before Taylor made it to his century - his sixth in first-class cricket - off 210 balls after lunch. Jack Brooks finally broke up the partnership after they had added 132 between them, when he forced Nixon to edge his delivery to wicketkeeper David Murphy.

Leicestershire keeper Tom New and Taylor added 68 runs for the fifth wicket together before the tea interval with the visitors on 365 for 4. New, who made 43, only lasted until the second over after the restart before he slashed James Middlebrook to David Lucas at backward point.

Taylor reached his milestone in the following over before going on to 150 off 308 balls, but he finally holed out in the 129th over. He launched Burton high into the air and David Sales ran to short third man to take the catch. Jigar Naik (27) edged the next ball to Sales at second slip and Burton then claimed his five-for when he forced Nathan Buck (two) to play onto his stumps and bowled Leicestershire captain Matthew Hoggard with the next ball for nought.

The visitors declared during a brief delay for bad light, giving them a lead of 198. Northamptonshire lost stand-in captain Stephen Peters (four) when he was trapped lbw by Buck in the second over, before bad light brought play to a close with five overs left. Mal Loye and Alex Wakely were unbeaten on four and two respectively at stumps.