Kruger puts Leicestershire in control

Garnett Kruger claimed his second five-wicket haul of the season to give Leicestershire the initiative on the first day of their LV County Championship Division One clash with Derbyshire at Grace Road.

The South Africa fast bowler took 5-51 as Derbyshire were dismissed for 194 after winning the toss.

When bad light brought an early end to the day's play with 20 overs still remaining Leicestershire were 31 for one in reply.

To add to Derbyshire's problems 22-year-old leg-spinner Mark Lawson, on trial with them following his release by Yorkshire, suffered a broken right index finger and looks unlikely to play any further part in the game.

Lawson suffered the injury as he fended off a lifting delivery from Kruger and was caught by Matt Boyce at short-leg.

Garnett Kruger picked up his second five-wicket haul

Kruger posed problems to all the batsmen on a pitch showing uneven bounce while Lee Daggett, on trial at Leicestershire having been released by Warwickshire, also picked up two wickets on his debut.

Dan Redfern top-scored for the visitors with a gritty 47 off 83 balls before becoming one of Kruger's victims when he was trapped lbw from the third ball after lunch.

It was an eventful morning session with Derbyshire scoring 103 runs for the loss of four wickets in 31 overs.

From the start it became clear there was plenty in the pitch for the seam bowlers and two wickets fell in the first three overs.

Steve Stubbings was bowled offering no shot at Sam Cliff and then Dominic Telo, having been struck on the helmet in the previous over, edged a catch to first slip off Kruger.

Paul Borrington and Redfern battled their way to 44 in the next 11 overs and then Daggett struck for his first wicket uprooting Borrington's off-stump.

It was a real battle for survival for the visiting batsmen and Greg Smith was fourth out just before lunch steering a low catch to slip as Kruger struck again.

Redfern needed three more to reach his half-century when the teams came out for the afternoon session, but fell without addition to the score and when Graham Wagg chipped a catch to midwicket off Cliff, Derbyshire were deep in trouble at 112 for six.

Ross Whiteley, on his first-class debut, showed some impressive form making 27 before edging a catch to wicketkeeper Paul Nixon off left-arm spinner Claude Henderson and Kruger wrapped things up with the wickets of Lawson and Jake Needham to leave Derbyshire without a batting point.

Leicestershire lost Boyce in the eighth over of their innings caught at slip off Wayne White but as the light closed in Greg Smith and Boeta Dippenaar saw them through without further loss.