COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, The Oval:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Leicestershire 337-4
Surrey 1pt, Leics 3pts
Match scorecard

Jefferson hit his 14th first-class century

Will Jefferson ended his five-year wait for a first-class century as Leicestershire took control against Surrey on day one at The Oval.

After winning the toss the visitors lost opener Matt Boyce for a duck before Jefferson (135) and Paul Nixon (41) added 105 for the second wicket.

When Nixon fell, James Taylor (63) joined Jefferson for a stand of 129.

They were to depart in quick succession, but Jacques du Toit (72 no) saw Leicestershire to 337-4 at stumps.

Jade Dernbach trapped Boyce lbw in the fourth over of the day with a ball which nipped back off the seam but Jefferson and veteran Nixon made serene progress either side of lunch.

Home captain Rory Hamilton-Brown was bowling spinners Gareth Batty and Chris Schofield in tandem before the break but there was little turn and the home side spent most of the day trying to build pressure and wait for mistakes.

606: DEBATE Generally disappointing from a Surrey viewpoint after that and especially so from our 'spinners' guildfordbat

Nixon had looked untroubled but was bowled via an inside edge by Chris Tremlett when trying to force through the off side in the 37th over.

Jefferson then joined forces with Taylor for the most productive stand of the day as they added 118 in 21 overs with Taylor, who scored a double hundred on this ground last season, matching his partner stroke for stroke.

Jefferson made the most of the ideal batting conditions and struck 19 fours and two sixes, the first of which took him to his hundred.

He was close to being removed on 127 but was dropped by Arun Harinath but only added seven more before he bottom-edged a cut and was taken at backward point.

After Jefferson's dismissal, Taylor put on 40 with Du Toit before he was bowled playing back to a Batty arm ball.

Surrey waited eight overs before taking the second new ball and thought they had broken through when Du Toit, on 61, slashed at Chris Tremlett but Batty spilled a difficult chance diving high to his right at first slip.

Any hopes of further Surrey success were blunted by Du Toit and wicketkeeper Tom New, who put on an 68 in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand to strengthen their side's position.

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