Hosein lifts Derbyshire's hopes of first win

Derbyshire 282 for 8 (Hosein 79*, A Hughes 55) v Leicestershire
Scorecard

A career-best unbeaten 79 from Harvey Hosein rescued Derbyshire on the opening day of the Division Two match against Leicestershire at Derby.

The home side had slipped to 151 for 5, despite a half century from Alex Hughes, with Charlie Shreck taking three wickets but Hosein took advantage of a bad miss by Rob Sayer to steer his side to a respectable 282 for 8 when bad light ended play early.

Derbyshire were trying to avoid becoming the first team in the county's history since 1924 to go through a season without winning a Championship game but they started badly after Leicestershire decided to bowl first.

There was certainly some early movement for Clint McKay who nipped one back to trap Billy Godleman in front in the seventh over of the morning and he should have had Ben Slater in his next over but Richard Jones spilled a simple catch at point.

It was not an expensive miss because Slater completely mistimed a drive at Shreck's first ball and chipped a gently catch to mid-off but that was Leicestershire's last success before lunch as Hughes and Wayne Madsen played carefully to put the innings back on track.

Madsen had bagged a pair in the previous game but he was looking set when Jones moved one away just enough to draw him into playing and give Ned Eckersley his first of four catches.

Hughes was less convinced he got a touch against Shreck three overs later and he had Neil Broom taken at first slip in his next over to leave Derbyshire facing another first innings failure.

Tom Wood was stuck on 8 for 40 balls on his first-class debut before Neil Dexter bowled the 22-year-old but Hosein played positively from the start although he should have been dismissed on 32 but Sayer fumbled a straight-forward return catch.

With help from Tom Milnes and Tony Palladino, Hosein guided Derbyshire to a second batting point as Leicestershire began to unravel in the closing stages of the day.

Hosein was given another life on 78 when he drove at McKay and Harry Dearden on his senior debut dropped the catch at second slip before the umpires decided that even with the floodlights on, the light was not good enough for play to continue shortly before 5pm.