Dexter keeps delivering for Leicestershire

Leicestershire 299 for 7 (Dexter 109, Robson 50, Barnard 3-49) v Worcestershire
Scorecard

Neil Dexter continued to stake his claim to be one of the signings of the season as Leicestershire reached 299 for 7 against Worcestershire on a hard-fought opening day in the Specsavers County Championship at New Road.

The former Middlesex batsman completed a third century for his new county and at the same time made it back-to-back hundreds when adding 109 to last week's 136 against Gloucestershire.

He was by no means completely fluent, more than one of his 18 boundaries coming off the edge during an impressive first spell by Ed Barnard, but his application could not be faulted following the early dismissal of Paul Horton.

Barnard claimed that wicket with his fifth delivery, Tom Kohler-Cadmore holding a fizzing overhead chance at first slip, and he should have had another when Angus Robson was dropped at gully.

The opener was on 27 and went on to make exactly 50, his third half-century in four Championship innings, before he gave a low catch to wicketkeeper Ben Cox in Barnard's second spell.

The second-wicket partnership yielded 79 from 32 overs and this was followed by a stand of 54 as Mark Cosgrove perked up the innings until he became another victim for Cox, aiming to force legspinner Brett D'Oliveira square on the off-side.

There was something in the pitch to encourage Worcestershire - if not for Kyle Abbott on his Championship debut for the county - but tight bowling by Barnard and Jack Shantry only served to underline the value of Dexter's performance. He maintained his focus throughout and made it clear that he is enjoying life with his fourth county.

If Barnard was the pick of the seam attack with three for 49, D'Oliveira showed impeccable control, and a nice variation, in bowling 23 overs for his 2 for 53.

He was also involved in the fourth wicket, not as the bowler but in running out Mark Pettini for 16 with a direct hit from backward point. Dexter was on 98 at the time and eventually got to his century after taking 22 minutes to add four singles to his score at tea.

The end for him came with a smart third catch for Cox, standing up to Joe Leach, and Robert Taylor soon drove D'Oliveira to extra cover, but Ned Eckersley and Clint McKay added valuable runs late in the day. McKay was leg-before to Barnard, bowling with the second new ball.

While not taking total control, Leicestershire have gone some way towards burying a bad memory from earlier in the season. They were dismissed for 43 on their own ground in May when Worcestershire registered their only win so far in a Division Two campaign following relegation last year.

The home side have included Tom Fell after his recovery from two forms of cancer since making a career-best 171 against Middlesex in his final innings of last summer.