Chesney Hughes fell four short of a hundred as Derbyshire posted 242 for three against some accurate Gloucestershire bowling on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship match at the Brightside Ground, Bristol.
The powerful left-hander shared a century opening stand with Ben Slater, who made 42, and had batted for four-and-three-quarter hours, facing 206 balls and hitting 16 fours, when bowled trying to force off-spinner Jack Taylor through the leg-side.
Wayne Madsen contributed a patient 58 not out off 180 balls, with nine fours, sharing an unbroken stand of 66 with Neil Broom, who ended the day unbeaten on 30, to ensure the visitors ended the day on top.
Liam Norwell was the pick of the home attack with 2-55, while David Payne, Kieran Noema-Barnett and Taylor all performed economically without posing any great threat.
Hughes and Slater gave Derbyshire a solid start after they had won the toss and elected to bat under blue skies.
By lunch they had taken the score to 96 with few alarms and it took a spirited spell of 2-18 from Norwell at the start of the afternoon session to raise Gloucestershire morale.
With the score on 103 Slater pulled a short ball from Liam Norwell straight to Taylor at square-leg.
Hamish Rutherford never looked comfortable and followed in Norwell’s next over, edging through to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick having contributed only a single.
Hughes then reined himself back with an equally patient Madsen as the pair reached tea with the score 141 for two.
Both were more positive at the start of the final session. Having taken 95 balls to hit his first boundary, Madsen quickly followed up with two more.
But the loss of Hughes, who had looked in no trouble, necessitated more watchful play and when the new ball was taken at the start of the 81st over Derbyshire were 186 for three.
Madsen and Broom saw it off with few scares, the former reaching his half-century whilst playing only the odd shot in anger, but doing an excellent job for his side.
Broom marked his first Championship match for Derbyshire with a compact innings. The experienced New Zealander did just the job required and will be looking to build in the morning.
Source: ECB