Mark Wood wicketless on Durham return as Wayne Madsen takes charge

Derbyshire 301 for 4 (Madsen 80*, Godleman 61, Slater 55) v Durham
Scorecard

England fast bowler Mark Wood was upstaged on his Durham return by a strong Derbyshire batting display on the opening day of the Division Two County Championship match at Derby.

Wood bowled 14 overs but failed to take a wicket in the last round of first-class matches before England's first Test against Pakistan in two weeks as Derbyshire closed on 301 for 4 after bad light ended play early.

Wayne Madsen passed 9000 first-class runs for Derbyshire during his unbeaten 80, sharing a century stand with Billy Godleman who made 61 while Ben Slater scored 55 with James Weighell taking two wickets.

Not surprisingly Wood took the new ball after Durham opted to bowl first on a cool, blustery day and was hit for two fours by Ben Slater in his first over from the City End.

His next four overs went for only 12 runs but although he did get some swing, he could not make the early breakthrough Durham hoped for which was perhaps not surprising given he only returned from the IPL this week.

Former Derbyshire seamer Nathan Rimmington also got some movement but Durham's bowling lacked the consistency to exert pressure and by the time Wood returned for a three over second spell before lunch, both Slater and Luis Reece were established.

Reece needed lengthy treatment following a blow on the left hand from Weighell who put Durham back in the game as Derbyshire lost three wickets in six overs after the interval.

Slater slapped a wide ball from Rimmington to point before Weighell got one to bounce on Reece who edged a back foot forcing stroke to Stuart Poynter who held on at the second attempt.

When Weighell defeated Alex Hughes with an inswinging yorker, the day was back in the balance, especially given Godleman's lack of runs this season.

But three fours from a Matt Dixon over got him going and he reached his 50 with a rasping square cut to the boundary off Woods shortly before tea.

With Madsen playing with increasing authority, the stand was worth 114 in 32 overs when Godleman was lbw to a full length ball from Dixon but Matt Critchley joined Madsen to make sure it was Derbyshire's day before the light faded.