Taylor piles on punishment for Derbyshire

Derbyshire 305 and 17 for 0 v Leicestershire 507 for 5 dec
Scorecard

Derbyshire's bowlers were put to the sword as Leicestershire posted their biggest total for nearly two years to take a stranglehold on the Championship game at Grace Road.

An unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 168 between Wayne White and Jigar Naik lifted Leicestershire to an imposing 507 for 5 before they declared with a lead of 202.

White made 83 not out and Naik finished unbeaten on 77 and it left Derbyshire to battle through the final eight overs of the day, with openers Wesley Durston and Wayne Madsen surviving to reach 17 without loss leaving Derbyshire 185 runs behind.

After starting the day on 201 for 2, Leicestershire added 306 runs for the loss of three wickets with James Taylor also scoring a half-century after Will Jefferson took his overnight 117 to 133 before being bowled by Jonathan Clare. Jefferson faced 253 balls and hit 16 fours and a six.

Taylor, watched by National Selector Geoff Miller, was also on course for a century but missed out by eight runs. The England Lions star was caught at slip as he drove at a widish delivery from Mark Turner. It was a disappointing end to the innings for the 21-year-old who was playing in his 50th first-class match.

In that time he has scored eight centuries put another 14 half centuries to press his claims for a call-up to the full England squad. Taylor shared stands of 77 with Jefferson and 97 with Jacques Du Toit and his 92 off 148 balls included 14 boundaries.

When he was fifth out at 339 with Leicestershire only 34 runs ahead, Derbyshire were back in the game again. But White and Naik regained the initiative and their partnership spread over 48 overs to put the home side in control.

White's innings began in unusual fashion with his first scoring strike an all-run five when he edged spinner Azeem Rafiq to the vacant third man area. Tim Groenewald chased from extra cover but was unable to prevent the runs as the ball pulled up just short of the boundary.

White's 83 also contained two sixes and seven fours while Naik hit six fours and a six. At tea Leicestershire led by 107 but the sixth-wicket pair went on the attack after the break scoring another 95 in 22 overs.

Paul Dixey, who has joined Leicestershire after being released by Kent, had to be called up from a Second XI game in Birmingham to replace Tom New as wicket-keeper. New suffered a broken big toe during the pre-game warm-up sessions.