Will Davis claimed his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, but an extraordinary double-century by Aneurin Donald ensured Glamorgan enjoyed a prosperous first day at Colwyn Bay.
Donald’s first Specsavers County Championship century, became the equal-fastest double-century in first-class cricket, equaling Ravi Shastri’s 123-ball innings for Bombay back in 1985, before eventually falling for 234.
Despite Donald’s remarkable innings, 20-year-old Davis bowled well throughout the first day of his fourth first-class match to claim 5-123, alongside the experienced Tony Palladino who took 3-65 as the hosts ended the day on 481-8.
After losing the toss, the visitors got an early wicket when Palladino trapped Mark Wallace lbw with the fifth ball of the second over of the day, but that was to be the only wicket of the morning session as Glamorgan took lunch on 83-1, despite a number of near misses.
In the seventh over of the afternoon session, Davis got his first of the day, when Aussie-born Nick Selman flashed him to Chesney Hughes at slip on 57. In Davis’ next over, Wayne Madsen took a stunning catch at point to remove Jacques Rudolph without scoring.
Derbyshire created a number of further chances during the afternoon, with Will Bragg surviving a number of close calls before finally he was caught by Harvey Hosein behind the stumps off Davis for 60.
Donald, meanwhile, was moving quickly through the personal milestones. He got to a half-century in 97 fewer balls than Bragg, before reaching his first Championship century off just 80 balls as Glamorgan took tea on 274-4.
David Lloyd had joined Donald and attempted to manufacture an innings in a similar vein, until whacking Palladino to mid-wicket on 30. Lloyd’s replacement, Graham Wagg, was quickly removed, bowled by Davis without scoring.
Having earlier reached his century with a six, Donald duly did the same to get to both his 150 and his double-century. He raced from 100 to 200 in 43 deliveries, and by the time he had reached 200, had hit 12 sixes and 24 fours in a 123-ball innings.
He would add a further 34 to his total before inevitably being caught on the long-off boundary off the bowling off Palladino, having faced 136 balls, scored 234 runs, 26 fours and 15 sixes in a record-breaking innings on the North Wales coast.
In the following over, Davis completed his first five-wicket haul in first-team cricket when Andrew Slater slapped his to Matt Critchley for four.
There was still time left in the day for Craig Meschede to hit a half-century of his own, before reaching the close unbeaten on 54 in Glamorgan’s 481-8.
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