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Search forRogers left cursing the weather as Foxes strike crucial late blow
Saturday, July 12, 2008, 08:00
Three times he was made to return to the dressing room and had to start again on a showery first day of Derbyshire's LV County Championship match against Leicestershire at the County Ground.
Then, just when he seemed to have risen above the constant interruptions and settled in for a major innings, the rain had the last laugh.
Rogers, who missed the last match against Essex at Chelmsford because of a back problem, had just moved beyond 50 for the sixth time in 12 Championship innings.
It had been a valuable effort because conditions were not at all easy for batsmen at the start of play, making Leicestershire's decision to put the home side in after winning the toss look a very good one.
Derbyshire slipped to 15-2 but Rogers, in partnership with Wavell Hinds, turned that position around with a stand of 96.
They did it in good time, too, as the Leicestershire bowling became more ragged in their eagerness to cash in on the conditions.
What had threatened to be an awkward period for Derbyshire on a wicket that looked decidedly greener following the second break for rain became quite a productive session for them.
Hinds gives the impression that he believes aggression is the answer to any batting problem and was not afraid to hit the ball over the field in outscoring his partner at first.
By the time the third belt of rain arrived, forcing an early tea, Rogers had responded with delightful cover drives of his own and Derbyshire were beginning to get the upper hand.
The Australian passed 50 off 86 balls with nine fours, which was quick speedy in the circumstances, but in the next over, he drove hard at a wide ball from James Allenby and Boeta Dippenaar, at second slip, dived to his left to take a very good catch.
Rogers, who made 52, chastised himself all the way back to the pavilion and no doubt his mood was made no better by the fact that Rikki Clarke did not even get all the way to the middle to take his place when the rain fell again.
When the umpires next had a look, they decided there was no chance of further play and called a halt.
In all, 65.5 overs were lost and Derbyshire will resume on 111-3, with Hinds 33 not out.
Rogers' late dismissal was an irritation, especially as it came to a ball that did not deserve a wicket, but there was little Dan Birch and Dominic Telo could do about the first two wickets of the day.
Birch, chosen to open the innings alongside Rogers in preference to Steve Stubbings, was on three when, in the over after the first shower of the day, Nadeem Malik found the edge of his bat and Paul Nixon took the catch behind the stumps.
Three overs later, Tom Smith found extra bounce to clip the shoulder of Telo's bat and Dipenaar took a more straightforward catch at second slip.
Telo had made eight and Smith had his first Championship wicket of his loan spell from Lancashire.
Rogers and Hinds averted fears of further difficulty and now, at least, Derbyshire have the chance to put a decent total on the board.
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hitting out: Chris Rogers shows positive intent against the bowling of Garnett Kruger (above) while Wavell Hinds does likewise in between rain interruptions at the County Ground.
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