After winning the toss Leicestershire reached 288-4 in the LV Championship Division Two derby with one wicket apiece for South Africans Nicky Boje, Andrew Hall and Lance Klusener after the early breakthrough by David Lucas.

County head coach Capel said: "I would probably be happier if we had taken another wicket or two at the end of yesterday's play.

"But the pitch is pretty batsmen-friendly so it was a good toss for them to win.

"Keeping the run-rate down to around three an over has not been a bad effort.

"There's a combination of a slow, low pitch with a ball which is particularly soft. After 30 overs we thought that might change but it was just the same.

"We had some good spells, especially from Klusener who I thought bowled well for us.

"We produced moments of pressure without getting the little edges. Overall it was one of those days.

"We will have to come back fresh this morning having taken the new ball last night. It's eight overs old and we need to give it another go.

"I would think this pitch will bat well for at least two or three sessions. So we will have to give it our best and get them all out quickly.

"As it stands Leicestershire will be happy that they have only lost four wickets on the opening day. If we'd got five or six then it would be evenly balanced.

"The game can change – certainly if we get a couple of batsmen out early today."

South African duo Boeta Dippenaar and HD Ackerman steered Leicestershire into a commanding position.

Both scored half-centuries as they shared a third-wicket partnership of 109.

Dippenaar and Ackerman were two of the 10 South African players taking part in the match – five on each side.

The teams also included nine Kolpak players – four in the Leicestershire side and five in the Northants line-up.

But Leicestershire chief executive David Smith defended his club's policy and said: "We have to accept that it is not popular with everyone but in the long term we have a development programme in place.

"It is important, however, that we also become competitive."

Leicestershire are unbeaten in the Championship so far this season and topped their group in the Friends Provident Trophy.

Ackerman, in his fourth season at the club, has already scored four centuries this season and looked set for a fifth before he was out for 62.

Dippenaar, who has been signed as Leicestershire's overseas player, was also out when he was well on the way to his first century for the club.

Both fell to South African colleagues Boje and Klusener.

Left-arm spinner Boje had Ackerman caught at slip by Hall while Klusener bowled Dippenaar off an inside edge.