County Championship: Harris helps Leicestershire profit from Derbyshire drops

Marcus Harris survived two dropped catches to give Leicestershire a solid platform

Australian opener Marcus Harris underpinned Leicestershire on a day when Derbyshire fluffed their lines in the County Championship match at Derby.

Harris kept his concentration through lengthy rain delays to score an unbeaten 77 but was dropped twice after Derbyshire elected to bowl first on a chilly opening day at the County Ground.

Derbyshire also put down Rishi Patel who made 36 before he was bowled by New Zealand fast bowler Blair Tickner, who was the pick of the home attack.

Although 50 overs were lost, Leicestershire made good progress and closed on 168-2with skipper Lewis Hill 34 not out.

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Derbyshire's previous home game against Gloucestershire had been a complete washout and there was more frustration despite the match starting in bright sunshine.

Sam Conners and Tickner shared the new ball and should have had both openers in the first half-hour.

Harris had made only one when he edged Tickner to second slip but Wayne Madsen put down a shoulder high chance.

Patel was then given a life two overs later, Conners finding his outside edge only to see Aneurin Donald spill the ball diving to his right at third slip.

Derbyshire put down a third opportunity three overs into the afternoon session when Harris, on 26, edged Anuj Dal low to Madsen who failed to cling on.

However the stand was broken in the next over when Tickner beat Patel's forward defensive push and knocked out his off stump.

Harris was six short of his fifty when the rain returned for a second time and kept the players off the field until 17:30 BST.

When the game restarted, Derbyshire quickly claimed a second wicket when Louis Kimber edged Conners to Donald.

But the rest of a truncated day belonged to Harris and Hill, who scored freely in the closing overs to make it the visitors' day.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network