ANGUS Robson and Ned Eckersley compiled an unbeaten partnership of 169 as Leicestershire’s batsmen replied strongly to Glamorgan’s first innings score of 513-9 declared.

Robson, who scored 1086 championship runs for the Foxes last season, closed on 82 and Eckersley on 81 as a placid Grace Road pitch showed no signs of deteriorating.

Earlier, David Lloyd’s maiden first class half-century ensured Glamorgan passed 500 before captain Jacques Rudolph declared in mid-afternoon.

Resuming on 294-2, the Welsh county quickly lost overnight centurion Will Bragg, given out leg before wicket to a well-pitched up delivery from Atif Sheikh for a first-class career best score of 120.

Charlie Shreck then bowled Colin Ingram for 34, the left-hander losing his middle stump trying to force an in-swinging delivery, making the score 354-4.

With little bounce in the pitch, Mark Wallace also went leg before, given out for 10 despite being well forward to an Ollie Freckingham delivery, and Ben Raine trapped Graham Wagg in front for 5, but Chris Cooke played fluently, hitting nine fours in going to 48 before mistiming an attempted off-drive off Freckingham and being caught at cover by Ned Eckersley.

Leicestershire picked up the wickets of Craig Meschede, caught behind by Niall O’Brien off the bowling of Shreck for 30, as the visitors looked to pick up the scoring rate after taking lunch on 421-7.

Glamorgan also lost Dean Cosker, caught behind without scoring swinging at Freckingham, but despite being hit on the helmet by a Shreck bouncer, the 22-year-old Lloyd took on a series of short balls, hitting nine fours in going to his half-century off 58 balls.

Number eleven Andy Carter, on loan at Glamorgan from Nottinghamshire, also went to his first-class best, hitting 21 off 20 balls before Rudolph called his players in.

When Leicestershire began their reply, opener Dan Redfern hooked Carter for six over long leg, but then failed to get on top of an attempted drive at left-armer Graham Wagg, and was caught at point by Cooke for 24.