Rogers denies Australia

Chris Rogers celebrates completing his double century © Getty Images

Chris Rogers’ maiden double century took the gloss off his compatriots’ Ashes well-being as he dominated a record opening stand of 247 to ease Leicestershire to a draw against Australia at Grace Road.

The hosts began the final day as major outsiders to prevent the tourists wrapping up a quick victory to prepare in style for this week’s first npower Test at Lord’s and cheer them on the way to London - but Western Australia batsman Rogers’ 209 transformed them into a team of near equal standing as their second-innings 363 for five put them close to credit by stumps.

The Aussies therefore had to set off for the capital in the mood for a regroup rather than their planned satisfied reflection on a job well done in their only first class match before the start of their five-Test series against England.

Rogers was aided and abetted on his home debut for his new employers by the stoic presence of Darren Robinson (81), who was near faultless in his capacity as foil for a starring role - riding his luck a little before lunch to keep near even pace with his first-wicket partner and then taking a back seat to the left-hander’s fluent afternoon strokeplay.

Australia's bowlers struggled for a breakthrough © Getty Images

The truth was that Australia simply ran into a very good player at the top of his form as Rogers hit 32 fours and three sixes from 219 balls - a strike rate comfortably in advance of that achieved by any of three fully-fledged Australia centurions.

Leicestershire’s opening stand was the best ever recorded by a county against Australia in England.

The pair finished the morning - after Australia had declared overnight on 582 for seven with a first-innings lead of 365 - within eight runs of one another out of 142.

But Rogers upped the ante, particularly when hitting Stuart MacGill’s loopy leg-spin over the top, adding 50 runs in the first hour after lunch - while Robinson managed nine.

The openers had initially profited past attacking Australia fields, a large proportion of boundaries coming either down to third man or through Robinson’s favourite midwicket area.

Rogers hits out © Getty Images

Robinson, lbw to Brett Lee off the first ball of the match two days ago, this time began by clipping the same bowler to the leg-side boundary.

He survived a loud Lee appeal off his second ball as the fast bowler sought a repeat of his Friday success and he should have gone when he mis-hooked at Jason Gillespie on eight and was reprieved by a comical mix-up which saw Matthew Hayden and Simon Katich end up close enough to shake hands yet somehow allow the ball to fall to ground between them at backward point.

Rogers also twice edged Gillespie for four between the slips early on but otherwise looked more secure throughout in perfect batting conditions under warm sunshine and on a pitch still behaving well.

With an obvious point to prove against his native country, when he went on the offensive after lunch his footwork and lofted driving down the ground off MacGill was impressive - and his accumulation in a wider arc off the pace bowlers was equally confident and effective.

Darren Robinson is bowled by a Brett Lee yorker © Getty Images

Robinson had almost ground himself to a halt, meanwhile, by the time Lee ripped out his middle stump with a yorker shortly before tea for Australia’s belated first success of a frustrating day.

The tourists - MacGill in particular - fared much better in the evening session, to the point that their victory hopes were briefly rekindled as in a passage of play which saw Rogers’ wicket finally fall as one of three for the addition of only 16 runs in the space of four overs.

MacGill (4-122) had already had John Maunders edging a drive to slip by the time he at last got his revenge on Rogers, who mistimed another attempted big hit to be caught in the ring at midwicket.

Spinner Stuart MacGill claimed four wickets © Getty Images

Then home captain HD Ackerman poked back a tame return catch - and off the last ball of the match Jason Krejza fell lbw as the leg-spinner’s day took a tardy turn for the better.

In the end, though, it was too little too late to keep the tourists on the upward curve they established in The NatWest Challenge and over the first two days here.