Teenager Josh Cobb celebrated his return to the side after a three-match absence with a sparkling 72 off 86 balls as bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire reached 332-8 on the first day of the LV County Championship game against Gloucestershire at Grace Road.

Veteran Paul Nixon and England Under-19 international James Taylor also hit half-centuries to steer the hosts beyond 300 in their first innings at home for the first time in five matches.

But Cobb, who was 19 on Monday, led the way with a boundary-laden innings to more than justify the decision to restore him to the side in place of Hylton Ackerman.

Former wicketkeeper Nixon, however, who will be 39 in October, was recalled to play as a batsman only to bring some experience and stability to the top of the order.