Chesney Hughes scored 96, before Wayne Madsen reached stumps on 58 not out, as Derbyshire enjoyed the better of Day One of the Specsavers County Championship match versus Gloucestershire.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a century opening partnership with Ben Slater (42) and a half-century stand with Madsen, but fell four short of his eighth first-class ton having faced 206 balls.
At the close of play, Madsen was unbeaten on 58, alongside Neil Broom, who was 30 not out on his first-class debut for the Club, as the visitors ended the day on 242-3.
Elite Performance Director, Graeme Welch said: “Chesney Hughes was probably out to the worst ball he faced, which was frustrating for him, but he played really well to give us a good platform.
“He and Ben Slater set things up in the morning session, but the pitch was slow and it wasn’t easy to score quickly. Wayne Madsen and Neil Broom were then very impressive after tea and, with a good first hour tomorrow, we can get into a strong position.”
Derbyshire’s opening duo of Slater and Hughes made a patient start after Captain Hamish Rutherford had chosen to bat first in sunny conditions, having turned down the option to bowl first and elected for the toss.
The pair accelerated during the second hour of the morning, both looking relatively untroubled as they reached the lunch interval having formed a 96-run partnership for the first wicket.
Slater, however, could not add to his score of 42 at lunch as he was caught off the bowling of Liam Norwell who then had Rutherford (1) caught behind in his next over.
Well batted, @ChesneyH22! He hit 16 fours in his 96 today ?? #GLOvDER #P2bD
LIVE: https://t.co/lsMNI7eBV3 pic.twitter.com/RTDjaJDt13
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) April 17, 2016
The loss of both batsmen did not affect Hughes who continued to play watchfully and choose his scoring shots wisely. He reached Derbyshire’s first half-century of the first-class season from 87 balls whilst Madsen, in at four, defended his wicket well.
At tea, Derbyshire were 141-2 after an afternoon that was controlled by the tight bowling of the Gloucestershire attack, with the visitors scoring 46 runs in the session.
Upon resumption, Hughes and Madsen quickly advanced to their half-century stand, but it was to be broken soon after when Hughes, on 96, was bowled via an inside edge off Jack Taylor, having faced 206 balls and scored 16 fours in a superb innings to begin his first-class campaign.
Madsen was joined by Broom, making his first-class bow for the county, and the pair defied the new ball and Gloucestershire attack to put on a half-century stand during a quiet period in the evening session.
In the meantime, Madsen reached a battling fifty from 167 balls, having struck seven fours, before moving to the close of play on 58 not out, alongside Broom on 30 not out, in Derbyshire’s 242-3.
Click HERE to view scorecard.
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