da esport bet： Mal Loye made his first century since returning to Northamptonshire as thehosts’ batsmen put them in charge on the first day of their CountyChampionship Division Two encounter against Surrey at Wantage Road
24-May-2010
ScorecardMal Loye led Northamptonshire’s recovery with a century•Getty Images
Mal Loye made his first century since returning to Northamptonshire as thehosts’ batsmen put them in charge on the first day of their CountyChampionship Division Two encounter against Surrey at Wantage Road.Loye made his ton off 203 balls on his way to a magnificent 121 not out, as heand former captain Nicky Boje made 161 between them, with Boje making anunbeaten 77 and opener Stephen Peters also claiming a half-century.Surrey had threatened a revival after lunch in reducing Northants to 169 for5, with Championship debutant Tom Jewell taking the scalp of their skipperAndrew Hall. But Loye’s century was the cornerstone as the hosts reached the close on 330for 5.Surrey won the toss but chose to bowl in glorious conditions as they looked fortheir first Championship win in 17 matches. Northants wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien was given an early let-off when he was dropped by his Surrey counterpart Steven Davies off Andre Nel in only the third over.The Ireland international went on to make an explosive 44 off 54 balls beforeTim Linley forced him to edge to Davies, who this time made no mistake, to endan opening stand of 90 with Peters.Peters went on to reach his fifty off 86 balls with a four smashed throughcover off Jade Dernbach as Northants went into lunch on 115 for 1. Linley struck again in the fifth over after the restart when Peters (61) went cheaply by launching him straight to Chris Schofield at extra cover.David Sales went for a duck when he was well and truly bowled by Nel, with allthree of his stumps toppled. Northants were starting to look less assured at the crease and they lost their fourth wicket when Rob White (8) nudged to Davies.Hall made just five before he gave 19-year-old Jewell, playing in just hisfourth first-class game, his first wicket by slashing wildly at his shortdelivery to give Davies an easy catch. Loye then reached his fifty off 114 balls, including a six smashed over square leg off Linley.Boje, who resigned as skipper last week, became the third batsman to go past 50after tea, doing so off 87 balls after being dropped on 29 by Schofield atmid-on.His and Loye’s partnership put Northants back on top as Surrey’s bowlers beganto toil in the sun as they had done in the morning, with Loye making his centurywith a four through square leg off Dernbach. The sixth-wicket pairing then comfortably batted out the rest of the day without alarm.