Madsen century keeps Derbyshire on top

Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen again left his mark on Gloucestershire with the 40th first class century of his career on the second day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at Derby.

The 41-year-old’s hundred was his sixth against Gloucestershire and put his side in a commanding position with support from Harry Came who scored 83 and shared a third wicket stand of 177.

Madsen also completed 16,000 first-class runs during his 118 and with Zak Chappell adding a breezy 61 from 67 balls, Derbyshire reached 391, a lead of 169.

Marchant de Lange with 3 for 31 was the pick of the bowlers for Gloucestershire who closed on 128 for 3, still 41 runs behind, with Ben Charlesworth unbeaten on 77.

Gloucestershire went into day two well aware of the damage Madsen could do and under another cloudless sky, he made the most of some very accommodating bowling.

The visitors’ attack, with the notable exception of de Lange, lacked the discipline and consistency to put Madsen and Came under pressure, serving up far too many short and wide balls that could be dispatched to the ropes.

Madsen welcomed Zaman Akhter by upper-cutting the seamer for six before Came reached his 50 which contained 9 fours from 80 balls.

Derbyshire cruised along serenely with 68 runs coming in the first hour with Madsen reaching an inevitable half-century and the 89th of his first-class career off 81 balls.

Gloucestershire’s miserable morning got worse when Came on 64 edged Matt Taylor to second slip where Ollie Price fumbled the chance.

Price made amends with the penultimate ball of the session, trapping Came lbw as he went back to work the ball to leg but at lunch, Derbyshire were 49 ahead with Madsen eight away from another hundred.

Whatever was said in the visitors dressing room clearly made an impression because they had their best spell of the match after the interval.

De Lange quickly had Brooke Guest caught behind and in his next over tempted Luis Reece into a drive which Ollie Price pouched at second slip.

When Anuj Dal was trapped on the crease by Tom Price, Derbyshire had lost four wickets in 26 balls for 10 runs and the Price brothers combined two overs later to remove Martin Andersson.

As the wickets tumbled around him, Madsen went to his hundred, the 39th first-class for Derbyshire, from 144 balls, and although Ollie Price dropped him four runs later, the off-spinner finally removed him when he missed a reverse sweep.

But Chappell crushed any hopes Gloucestershire entertained of wrapping up the innings quickly  by dispatching Ollie Price for two big sixes on his way to a 60 ball 50.

Taylor returned to bowl Chappell and have Jack Morley caught behind but Derbyshire had reasserted their authority leaving Gloucestershire with a lot of batting to do.

They started badly, losing Chris Dent cheaply when he got an inside edge into his stumps going half forward to Chappell in the seventh over.

But Ben Charlesworth and Ollie Price played with increasing authority to add 70 from 98 balls before Derbyshire set a trap which snared Price.

Pat Brown posted a leg gully for Price who turned a ball off his hip into the waiting hands of Andersson and Reece struck another blow when Miles Hammond moved across his stumps and was lbw.

Charlesworth and James Bracey negotiated the last five overs but they will need to bat for a long time tomorrow to keep Gloucestershire in the contest.

Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen said: “Nice to be able to contribute towards what was a pretty decent total for us. I think at the start of the day we would have taken it although from the position we were in just before lunch maybe we could have got a little bit more.

“Marchant (de Lange) charged in and bowled pretty well and they put us under a bit of pressure and then thank goodness Chappy (Zak Chappell) coming in and playing a really valuable knock to get us a 160 plus lead.

“I still feel like I’m batting as well as I have, certainly over the last 10 years in red ball cricket and while I’m doing that I’m going to ride the wave and enjoy it and hopefully contribute towards what is going to be an exciting year for us.”