Du Preez makes his mark

Ian Bell contributed 42 to Warwickshire's day one total of 128 for four © Getty Images

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Dillon du Preez made an eventful start to his Leicestershire career on a rain-shortened first day against Warwickshire in the LV County Championship Division Two clash at Edgbaston.

The South African all-rounder bowled Darren Maddy with his second delivery and had Ian Bell badly dropped from his seventh ball before the England batsman made 42 in the home side’s 128 for four in 50 overs.

Du Preez reappeared later in the day for another tidy spell in which he removed Ian Westwood (39) for an impressive return of 13-5-21-2 on his county debut.

Last winter he was the leading bowler in South Africa’s main domestic competition with 55 wickets as the Bloemfontein-based Eagles won the Super Sport Series under the captaincy of Leicestershire’s new overseas signing, Boeta Dippenaar.

The Foxes pair are among 10 South Africa-born players in this match, six of them in the Leicestershire team, but the main contributions with the bat came from the only Warwickshire born-and-bred cricketers in the home side.

A misjudgment by Darren Maddy – the former Leicestershire opener offering no shot to du Preez - brought together Bell and left-hander Westwood in a steady second-wicket partnership of 70 in 22 overs.

After a let-off when edging du Preez to HD Ackerman at third slip, Bell imposed himself with well-timed strokes off his pads and through the covers as Leicestershire’s seamers strayed on either side of the wicket.

National selector Geoff Miller was among the spectators and he will be able to report that Bell is in good form in the build-up to the first npower Test against New Zealand, which begins on May 15.

Facing 75 balls, he hit six boundaries until he was surprisingly trapped lbw, propping half-forward to a delivery slanted in from Port Elizabeth-born paceman Garnett Kruger.

After a slow start to the championship season with 31 runs in four innings, Westwood was more the anchorman, putting accumulation ahead of eye-catching strokes. But in his own quiet way he picked up half a dozen boundaries.

Unflustered as heavy showers caused three interruptions, he maintained his concentration until du Preez unseated him with a ball that lifted and moved away for an edge to Tom New at third slip.

Michael Powell quickly followed, caught behind off James Allenby’s third ball, but Jonathan Trott and Tim Ambrose held off Leicestershire for 11 overs before bad light ended play. In all 46 overs were lost to the weather.