Wayne Madsen scored his 20th first-class century for Derbyshire, having shared a 161-run partnership with Neil Broom, as the hosts finished a good first day versus Kent on 381-7.
Madsen’s century came from 165 balls, and it seemed as though the fluent Broom (96) would join him on reaching a ton, but he was unfortunately out four runs short of his first hundred for the Club.
Also in the runs was the in-form Shiv Thakor who finished the day on 86 not out – his highest score for Derbyshire – as the hosts reached stumps on 381-7, having scored at a good run-rate throughout the afternoon and evening sessions.
Having been asked to bowl first, Kent’s Matt Coles produced a superb spell with the new ball, taking 3-9 from 10 overs, to put his side into the ascendancy early on.
Chesney Hughes was the first to go, trapped lbw without scoring, before Hamish Rutherford was bowled on five and Billy Godleman was caught via a bat-pad deflection for three.
That brought Madsen and Broom together who saw off the dangerous Coles and moved their side through to lunch without losing any more wickets on 83-3.
The batsmen began to dominate proceedings thereafter, with Madsen reaching his half-century from 89 balls shortly after lunch, as the score moved into three figures.
Having hit two superb sixes, in addition to a straight-driven four, Broom then got through to his first fifty for Derbyshire, which came from 114 balls. The stand for the fourth wicket was now beyond 100 and growing rapidly.
Madsen had played some fine strokes behind square during his innings and fittingly reached his century with a perfectly-timed reverse-sweep to the rope. His 20th first-class century for Derbyshire had come from 165 deliveries and included 14 boundaries.
He could, however, only add another three to his total for the day as he was caught on the long-on boundary off former England spinner James Tredwell shortly afterwards.
Derbyshire took tea on 216-4, having hit 133 in the afternoon session, and began the evening session in similarly free-scoring fashion.
Thakor had come in at number six for the hosts and complimented Broom well to secure a half-century stand with the impressive Kiwi. It looked as though Broom was certain to get to his first hundred for Derbyshire, but was disappointingly out lbw to one that kept low on 96.
The loss of Broom did not faze Thakor though, moving through to a well-made half-century from 74 balls, before continuing to play some attractive shots to take Derbyshire up to and beyond 300.
The hosts were to lose Tom Poynton for 10 and Matt Critchley for three before the close, but Thakor and Tom Taylor put on a quick-fire unbeaten stand of 69 to finish the day on not out on 86 and 39 respectively, in Derbyshire’s 381-7.
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