Callum Parkinson took three wickets on his first-class debut, but Ned Eckersley led the Leicestershire recovery to finish Day One of the match at Grace Road unbeaten on 73 with the Foxes 300-7.
Cricket Derbyshire Academy, in partnership with the University of Derby man Parkinson was drafted into the Derbyshire line-up for the first time and took 3-64, whilst wicketkeeper Alex Mellor, on loan from Warwickshire, also made his first-class debut and claimed two catches.
Elsewhere, there were two wickets for Shiv Thakor against his former county, whilst Tom Milnes and Wayne Madsen picked up one apiece, but an evening session fightback led by Eckersley meant that the hosts ended the day on 300-7.
Despite being asked to field first, Derbyshire got an early Foxes scalp when Milnes enticed Angus Robson (four) into an edge that flew to Madsen at slip in the second over of the day.
Experienced pair Paul Horton and Neil Dexter put on a dogged stand worth 89 for the second wicket to seize control of the first session of the match, but Dexter fell on the stroke of lunch for 44 when, on first-class debut, Mellor took a superb diving catch off Thakor.
Shortly after the lunch interval, debutant Parkinson picked up his first wicket in first-class cricket. His slow left-arm dislodged the bails of powerful batsman Mark Cosgrove to dismiss him for 14.
Four overs later, Parkinson took the wicket of another experienced batsman when he got one to bounce on Horton (42) for Mellor to take a sharp catch standing up to the stumps.
Derbyshire’s dominance of the afternoon session was confirmed when a Thakor delivery to Mark Pettini kept low and he was given out lbw for 13 as Leicestershire reached an early tea, due to rain, on 150-5, having lost 48-3 in the session.
Niall O’Brien and Ned Eckersley provided stiff resistance at six and seven for the Foxes, adding 68 for the sixth wicket to take their side beyond a first batting bonus point. That was until Madsen trapped O’Brien lbw in his first over of the match for 40.
A second rain interruption caused one over of the day to be lost, and Derbyshire’s momentum to be decreased. Clint McKay joined Eckersley and batted aggressively to score 40 during an 83-run stand with the days’s top-scorer.
McKay’s innings ended when he was bowled by Parkinson with four overs left in the day as the youngster picked up 3-64 on his first-class debut.
Eckersley, however, remained unmoved and ended the day on 73 not out with his side 300-7.
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