Rob White fell just shy of his first double hundred of the season to rescue Northamptonshire on the first day of their must-win LV County Championship promotion clash against Leicestershire at Wantage Road.

The 29-year-old has found life tough this season but returned to form just at the right time to lift Northants from 44 for four to 465 for six after hitting an impressive 193.

White smashed his highest score of the season and seventh first-class career hundred off 226 balls including 27 fours and four sixes.

He was ably supported by 65 from Riki Wessels and an equally inspiring unbeaten score of 138 from South African Andrew Hall off 153 balls.

The Northants pair put on 268 for the sixth wicket with former Surrey all-rounder James Benning and AJ Harris both picking up two wickets for Leicestershire.

The hosts went into the clash knowing a victory would see them promoted should second-placed Essex fail to win away at Derbyshire.

However they could not have asked for a worse start after Foxes skipper Matt Boyce put them in to bat following another lost Nicky Boje toss.

Leicestershire picked up two wickets in the first six overs with Niall O'Brien falling to Harris for six and Harry Gurney removing Stephen Peters for three - just three balls later.

Things did not get any better for the hosts with former Leicestershire batsmen Paul Harrison and Alex Wakely both being dismissed cheaply by Benning.

With the score at 44 for four after 23 overs Northants had plenty of work to do to build a respectable first-innings total with White and Wessels both batting solidly before lunch.

The shackles came off after the restart with the pair adding 50 in only 39 balls with Wessels passing his half-century in style, bludgeoning three fours off one Harris over.

However his cameo innings ended on 65 as he shuffled across his stumps and was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Claude Henderson.

White soon passed 50 himself off 89 balls as did Hall - who recorded a century against Leicestershire back in April.

The pair totally dominated the middle session, scoring 186 runs from 36 overs after some abject Foxes bowling.

That continued after tea with both White and Hall dispatching the Leicestershire attack to all parts on the way to their respective centuries.

White - who passed a hundred for the first time this season - looked all set to double up only to fall seven shy off the bowling of Harris with the score at 421 for six.

However Hall picked up where he left off, ending on 138 with partner Boje also unbeaten on 14.