Leicestershire opener Darren Robinson smashed Yorkshire's new ball attack to smithereens on the first day of the Championship match at Grace Road yesterday.

But the tables were turned dramatically in the evening session as four wickets crashed in 17 balls for the addition of just six runs.

At the close, Leicestershire were 333 for seven, Robinson having departed for an imposing 154 from 248 balls with 23 firmly struck boundaries.

In order to let both sides recover from the previous night's floodlit match, play didn't begin until 11.30am but Robinson quickly made up for lost time with a thunderous assault on Steve Kirby, who was as eager as ever to impress against his former county.

Unfortunately for Kirby, he fed Robinson a steady supply of juicy half-volleys just outside off-stump which were meat and drink to a batsman whose trademark is a well-executed extra cover drive.

Two came in Kirby's first over and both were dispatched to the boundary, along with a short ball which was pulled to the fence.

While Darren Maddy looked on, Robinson also laced into John Blain who switched ends at 46 without loss in only five overs to replace Kirby - but the runs kept coming and Robinson's 50 arrived off 60 balls with ten powerfully struck boundaries.

Tim Bresnan managed to put a brake on the scoring but it was Vic Craven who claimed the first wicket by pinning Maddy lbw for 27 with the score on 90 in the 20th over.

That was Yorkshire's only success in the short morning session, which still produced 112 runs in 25 overs.

Richard Dawson and Bresnan tightened things up considerably after the interval until Kirby returned and promptly bowled John Maunders who shouldered arms to a straight one.

Robinson had been forced into his shell but Australian Brad Hodge kept Leicestershire in control and he put a dent into Dawson's figures by lifting the off-spinner on to the balcony of the David Gower suite and then smacking his next ball through the covers for four.

The third wicket pair had added 51 in nine overs when Hodge moved too far across his stumps and was bowled round his legs by Anthony McGrath for 29, leaving Robinson to work his way patiently through the 90s to convert his eighth 50 of the season into his first century for Leicestershire.

He had faced 158 balls and struck 17 boundaries.

Another sizeable stand began to develop between Robinson and Darren Stevens, who exercised more caution than usual, but in the over before tea Bresnan failed to hold on to a hard return catch which would have sent Robinson back for 118.

The fourth wicket pair moved their partnership on to 112 before Stevens was out for 48, flicking Kirby to Dawson at mid-wicket, and the dismissal triggered one of Yorkshire's best bowling spells of the season.

In Kirby's next over, Jeremy Snape drove a slower ball to Andrew Gale at cover before a double strike by McGrath left Leicestershire on 295 for seven.

England's one-day all-rounder held on to a low return catch to send back Paul Nixon and two deliveries later he brought Robinson's long innings to a close with a yorker which struck him on the boot.

Had Yorkshire been able to polish off the tail, they would have ended the day in credit but Phil DeFreitas and Ottis Gibson played out the last 14 overs.