Will Jefferson claimed the starring role for Leicestershire against Surrey at the Brit Oval yesterday with his first County Championship century since 2005.

It was a beauty, too, and, with Paul Nixon, James Taylor and Jacques du Toit forming a strong supporting cast, County put on a terrific show, closing day one in a very healthy position on 337-4.

Jefferson's innings was one of immense class and authority. It was not made in the easiest of circumstances, either.

The day began badly for Leicestershire when Andrew McDonald was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Then, with only six runs on the board, Matthew Boyce fell lbw to Jade Dernbach.

But that was to be the home side's only success of the morning as Jefferson began to impose himself on the game, backed ably by Nixon.

The Leicestershire opener struck the ball with tremendous power and, on a good pitch and quick outfield, he picked up full value for his shots.

By the break, the second wicket pair had added exactly 100, Jefferson having 62 alongside his name with Nixon 37 not out.

For some reason, Nixon did not look as comfortable after lunch and it was not a great surprise when he was bowled by Chris Tremlett as he shaped to drive the Surrey seamer.

Jefferson remained unperturbed and, with Taylor quickly finding his feet, the runs began to flow for County with a series of flowing strokes either side of the wicket.

A swept six into the stands took Jefferson into the 90s but better was to come.

He repeated the dose off Gareth Batty in the 48th over, sending the ball sailing towards Archbishop Tenison's School with a mighty blow to reach three figures.

He peppered the off-side boundary, too, with some crunching shots through the point region and generally looked at the top of his game. There was just one slice of luck when, on 128, Arun Harinath shelled a catch at deep fine leg after Jefferson miscued a hook off Stuart Meaker. But few would begrudge him that, such was the quality of his stroke-play.

Not that Taylor exactly hung around , either, and some of the cover drives he produced were right out of the top drawer.

The third-wicket stand was eventually broken when, for once, Jefferson failed to time a cut and was caught at backward point off leg-spinner Chris Schofield.

In the space of 174 balls, he had cracked 19 fours with a couple of maximums for good measure.

It was probably the best innings played a by a Leicestershire batsman this season.

He and Taylor added 118 in a marvellous stand taking County to 229-3.

Taylor and du Toit put on 40 before Taylor was bowled by off-spinner Batty for 63, a decent follow-up to his double century last weekend.

County were far from done. With the new ball approaching, they could easily have lost cheap wickets in the final hour but du Toit and Tom New took a disciplined approach to the closing stages, keeping the runs ticking along while refusing to take any outlandish risks.

Du Toit, who made a century at the Oval last season, reached stumps on a valuable 72. New was 15 not out in a stand that was worth 68 and ensured the day belonged firmly to the visitors.