DROPPED catches proved expensive for Durham during the second session on the first day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road.

Paul Collingwood, captaining Durham for the last time away from their Chester-le-Street home, dropped Harry Dearden on 19 and then Neil Dexter on 37, both times at first slip, though Dexter should have been dismissed first ball, Michael Richardson putting down a relatively straightforward chance at third slip.

Had Richardson held the chance, off Matt Salisbury, Leicestershire would have been 139-5 and struggling. As it was Dexter and Dearden added 77 for the fifth wicket in just 17 overs before Dexter was eventually dismissed, leg before on the front foot to Gareth Harte for 43, shortly before a shower saw the umpires take the players off for an early tea.

Earlier Collingwood had chosen to exercise the away team's right to bowl first, and in the absence of captain Paul Horton, unavailable due to personal reasons, Ateeq Javid was promoted to open the Foxes batting.

Javid and Sam Evans put together a partnership of 31 for Leicestershire's first wicket before Academy graduate Evans was leg before to a delivery from Chris Rushworth which seamed back in to the young right-hander.

With the bowlers struggling to cope with the strong southerly wind, Colin Ackermann hit Barry McCarthy for successive boundaries before the Ireland international had his revenge with a delivery that moved away just enough to find the edge.

However Javid battled his way through to take lunch on 43 not out, his highest score since joining Leicestershire from Warwickshire at the start of the season.

During the interval Leicestershire presented Pakistan international seamer Mohammad Abbas with his county cap.

Javid was dismissed shortly after reaching his half-century, leg before to a Rushworth delivery which seamed back, and though Mark Cosgrove showed signs of finding some sort of form in going to 37, he was also beaten on numerous occasions, particularly by Rushworth, before being bowled pushing across the line at a delivery from Salisbury.