Harvey Hosein and Alex Hughes both hit fifties on Day One of Derbyshire’s Specsavers County Championship game with Leicestershire at The 3aaa County Ground.
Having chosen to bowl without a toss, Leicestershire struck early thanks to Clint McKay (1-40) and Charlie Shreck (3-67).
Hosein (79 not out) and Hughes (55) held the Derbyshire innings together, whilst there were also contributions from Ben Slater (27) and Wayne Madsen (38).
Having reached 282-8, the players were taken off for bad light just before 5pm, and were unable to resume for the remainder of the day.
Derbyshire’s openers, Billy Godleman and Ben Slater looked to be positive as they had in the previous game with Gloucestershire, but Australian overseas player McKay struck first when he had Godleman lbw for nine.
Slater soon followed for 27 when he fell to Shreck’s first delivery, chipping one in the air to Mark Pettini at mid-off.
Alex Hughes and Wayne Madsen rebuilt for the hosts, putting on 84 for the third wicket before Madsen was caught behind for 38, Hughes reached his 50 from 103 balls, before he was also caught behind shortly after for 55.
Neil Broom hit the only six of the day but was caught at slip off the impressive Shreck for 15 from the next delivery, and Tom Wood, on first-class debut, fell soon after for just eight, leaving Derbyshire 177-6.
Hosein played fluently and got to his third first-class fifty, before surpassing his previous best of 61 which he achieved in the Specsavers County Championship game against Gloucestershire at Bristol last season.
Tom Milnes fell to Rob Sayer (1-49) attempting a reverse sweep for 19, then Tony Palladino was caught behind off the bowling of Neil Dexter (2-60) for 12.
Hosein was playing positively, along with Callum Parkinson (6 not out) before the light diminished enough for the umpires to take the players off the field, and the light never improved to leave Derbyshire 282-8 at the close, with Hosein unbeaten on a career-best 79 not out.
