Sales puts Northants in control

David Sales' century was the mainstay of Northants' good first day on home turf

David Sales hit a superb 113 not out as Northamptonshire gained the upper hand on day one of their LV County Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire.

Former captain Sales came to the crease with Northants struggling at 51 for two and played patiently taking 224 balls to reach his second county championship hundred of the season.

It was a typical Sales innings, taking time to get in before cutting loose and peppering the boundary as Northants recovered from their shaky start to close on 274 for four.

Leicestershire captain Paul Nixon won the toss and put the hosts into bat, which looked a good decision when Niall O’Brien nicked a Dillon du Preez delivery to Boeta Dippenaar at second slip for nine.

Stephen Peters and Rob White played some lovely shots as Northants progressed at a steady rate.

White looked well set before he edged Jim Allenby to Nixon when on 20 as Northants slumped to 51 for two.

Sales came to the crease and made his intentions clear from the start, crashing Allenby through the covers for four.

Leicestershire pinned the Northants batsmen down after lunch, restricting the hosts to just 10 runs in nine overs.

Nadeem Malik was particularly impressive with the ball for Leicestershire as Northants struggled to score but Sales played patiently, punishing any loose bowling with boundaries.

Malik continued to cause the batsmen trouble and was unlucky not to have his first wicket when Peters was dropped by HD Ackerman at second slip.

Peters recovered to reach his half-century, top-edging Tom Smith over the slips for four while Sales also reached fifty smashing Claude Henderson for four in the very next over.

This seemed to free Sales as he fired a Henderson delivery into one of the neighbouring gardens for six.

Peters fell just before tea lobbing Tom New to Allenby at short mid-wicket for 65.

Sales and Riki Wessels kept the scoreboard ticking along with Sales lucky not to be caught by Henderson at third man off the bowling of du Preez when on 71.

Wessels succumbed to du Preez for six, nicking one behind to Nixon to leave Northants on 185 for four.

Sales bought up his ton in typical fashion smashing Smith for four, one of 14 fours he scored on his way to three figures.

Lance Klusener was happy to play second fiddle to Sales, frustrating the Leicestershire bowlers with several boundaries as he added a useful 44 and the pair will resume in the morning.