Alex Hughes hit his maiden first-class century to give Derbyshire the upper hand after Day One against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
Alex Hughes struck 18 fours in his career-best unbeaten 111 off 146 balls, as he helped Derbyshire recover from 196-6 to 361 all out shortly before stumps.
Northants had two overs to face before stumps and it was enough time for Mark Footitt to have Ben Duckett caught at slip as the hosts closed on 6-1, trailing by 355.
After winning the toss and batting first, Derbyshire started well with Hamish Rutherford and Billy Godleman adding 47 for the first wicket in 10 overs, before the latter was caught behind off the bowling of Rory Kleinveldt for 25.
Rutherford guided his team through to lunch on 91-1 alongside Chesney Hughes, with the New Zealand international bringing up his half-century at the start of the afternoon session.
The pair added 76 together before both fell in successive over, with Rutherford dismissed by Ben Sanderson for 60 before Chesney Hughes was caught at mid-wicket for 32 off the spin bowling off Rob Keogh.
Wayne Madsen was trapped lbw by Maurice Chambers for 16, prior to two more batsmen becoming victim to the Kleinveldt/Adam Rossington combination. Kleinveldt had both Wes Durston (20) and Shiv Thakor (8) caught behind by Rossington as Derbyshire were pegged back on 196-6.
90.3: #CENTURY! @yozza18 hits his maiden first-class century! 103* from 141 balls with 17 fours! #NORvDER #P2bD pic.twitter.com/S8TxQdacZq
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) July 18, 2015
But Alex Hughes played fluently to switch the momentum of the day and he reached his first half-century of the season, and his fourth in first-class cricket, in the evening session. He formed a useful 76-run stand with Harvey Hosein before the wicketkeeper was caught behind off Stone for 23.
Tony Palladino became Sanderson’s second victim as he was lbw for 11 before Footitt was caught at slip off his second ball to give Kleinveldt his fourth scalp.
But Hughes continued to play his shots on a special day for the 23-year-old. He first surpassed his previous highest first-class score of 82, which came against Kent at Canterbury in June 2014, before reaching three figures for the first time off 141 balls.
He helped his side claim a fourth batting point before last man Ben Cotton, who had stuck around for six overs to add 47 runs for the last week, was last man to go for 5 with Derbyshire 361 all out.
Footitt had Duckett caught at slip in the first over of Northants’ reply as they reached stumps on 6-1, trailing Derbyshire by 355 runs heading into Day Two, which begins at 11am on Sunday morning.
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