Sibley 106 v Leicestershire 100 is sorry tale for Foxes

Warwickshire 190 for 3 (Sibley 106) lead Leicestershire 100 (Barker 3-23, Stone 3-24) by 90 runs
Scorecard

Dominic Sibley's century, his second of the season, helped Warwickshire establish a dominant position after bowling injury-hit Leicestershire out for just 100 on the first day of their Specsavers Division Two county championship match at the Fischer County Ground.

Sibley, who took just 49 balls to reach his half-century, during which he hit Leicestershire triallist Usman Arshad for four consecutive boundaries, was made to work rather harder thereafter, needing a further 107 deliveries to reach three figures. By the time of his dismissal shortly before the close, however, the league leaders already led by 90 with seven first innings wickets in hand.

With five first-team seam bowlers out injured, Leicestershire gave a first-class debut to academy graduate David Sayer, and a trial opportunity to former Yorkshire and Durham seamer Arshad, with 20-year-old Ben Mike making only his second first-team appearance.

A green tinged pitch and cloudy skies saw Warwickshire captain Jeetan Patel exercise the away team's right to bowl first, and Keith Barker quickly picked up the wicket of Foxes' opener Harry Dearden, the young left-hander thin-edging an out-swinger to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose.

Colin Ackermann may have been slightly unfortunate to be given out leg before to Barker, the ball hitting him well above the knee roll, but there was no doubt at all about Paul Horton's dismissal soon afterwards, Chris Woakes removing the opener's middle stump with a ball that seamed back in and took the inside edge.

In the circumstances Leicestershire could have done without any self-inflicted wounds of the sort inflicted by Neil Dexter, who in looking to get off the mark gave his partner Mark Cosgrove no chance of getting home. The Australian had given up as Woakes, in his follow-through, picked up and hit the stumps with his throw..

Ateeq Javid, formerly of Warwickshire, left a delivery from Barker that trimmed his off bail, Dexter pushed indecisively at a swinging delivery from Woakes to edge a catch behind, and Olly Stone was too quick for Ned Eckersley.

Arshad gave Woakes a simple catch at extra cover off Stone, with the only bright spot for Leicestershire the batting of young all-rounder Mike, until his attempt to pull a short delivery from Stone was top-edged into the hands of Chris Wright at long leg.Wright himself picked up the final Leicestershire wicket, bowling debutant David Sayer.

Leicestershire's problems continued when they came out to bowl, with Sibley and fellow opener Will Rhodes taking full advantage of some loose bowling from the inexperienced members of the Foxes' seam attack to compile a partnership of 123 before Rhodes was given out leg before to a full, swinging delivery in the first over after tea.

Ian Bell came and went quickly, leg before to Mohammad Abbas, but Jonathan Trott joined Sibley to build another partnership before Sibley went leg before to the persevering Mike just before the close.