Billy Godleman scored a century and recorded his highest first-class score for Derbyshire before Kent fought back on Day One at The 3aaa County Ground.
The Derbyshire Vice-Captain hit his second successive LV= County Championship hundred to put Derbyshire in a strong position, but a cluster of wickets fell in the evening session as the hosts were dismissed for 253.
Kent reached 27-0 in reply at stumps and they head into Day Two trailing by 226 runs.
Kent, who won the toss and elected to bowl first, suffered a blow in just the third over of the match as England wicketkeeper Sam Billings was forced off the field with a finger injury.
Derbyshire openers Godleman and Ben Slater safely negotiated the first hour’s play on a green surface, with Godleman rarely troubled as he went on to reach his half-century from 61 balls.
Slater was the first wicket to fall just 15 minutes before the lunch interval as he was bowled for 33 by Matt Hunn to end an opening partnership worth 93 runs.
Godleman brought up his century from 146 balls midway through the afternoon session, the first time the batsman has reached three figures for Derbyshire in a first-class match at Derby.
48.5: #CENTURY! Godleman reaches his second first-class century of the season from 146 balls! #DCCC 153-2 #DERvKEN pic.twitter.com/AwDWqd1CAW
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) August 21, 2015
He fell soon after for 108 after surpassing his previous best first-class score for Derbyshire, 104 not out versus Surrey in 2014, to break a third-wicket stand of 62 and leave Derbyshire 178-3.
Wayne Madsen was dismissed four runs shy of his fifty in the evening session with Hunn clean bowling the Derbyshire Captain. All-rounder Shiv Thakor was then forced to retire hurt after being struck on the helmet from the second delivery he faced, before a couple of quick wickets left Derbsyhire on 230-6.
Two more wickets fell with no runs added as Tredwell removed Harvey Hosein before Tony Palladino went without scoring.
Haggett claimed his third wicket as he bowled Cotton for 15, and with Thakor unable to resume his innings, Derbyshire were bowled out for 253.
Kent openers Rob Key and Daniel Bell-Drummond safely negotiated the remaining 11 overs before stumps as Kent reached 27-0.
Click here to view the scorecard >>
Day Two versus Kent begins on Saturday at 11am. Gates open at 9.30am and tickets are available on the gate. Buy tickets for Day Three and Four in advance and save £4 per adult ticket purchased.
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