Jacques du Toit hit 103 for the home side as they again dominated the day with four other men hitting half-centuries.

Du Toit eventually became one of four wicket for Nicky Boje but the pain wasn't over for the Northants bowlers as last-man Jermaine Lawson smashed 35 from just 29 balls to take the hosts past 500.

Northants closed on 144-1 with Niall O'Brien unbeaten on 76 alongside Rikki Wessels (24no) after losing in-form Stephen Peters cheaply.

LEICESTERSHIRE 1st inns
(overnight 288-4)
Allenby lbw b vd Wath 70
du Toit c O'Brien b Boje 103
Henderson c Hall b vd Wath 5
Nixon lbw b Boje 79
Du Preez c sub b Brown 15
Malik not out 11
Lawson b Boje 35
Extras (lb5, w4, nb10) 19
Total (all out, 154.3 overs) 527

Bowling: van der Wath 25-2-101-2; Lucas 25-5-120-1; Boje 38.3-8-120-4, Hall 19-4-56-1; Klusener 16-6-46-1; Brown 31-9-79

strong>NORTHANTS 1st inns
Peters b Lawson 17
O'Brien not out 76
Wessels not ou 24
Extras (nb14, b4, lb9) 27
Total (for one, 37 overs) 144

Bowling: Malik 9-1-35-0; du Preez 6-4-12-0; Henderson 12-6-14-0; Lawson 5-0-46-1; Allenby 5-0-24-0