Paul Horton leads response after Wayne Madsen underpins Derbyshire effort

Leicestershire 82 for 0 (Horton 48*) trail Derbyshire 245 (Madsen 80, Parkinson 3-50) by 163 runs
Scorecard

Wayne Madsen reached a batting milestone for Derbyshire but it was Leicestershire who took the honours on the opening day of the floodlight Division Two match at Derby. Madsen completed 14,000 runs in all cricket for the county during his 80 but the home side were bowled out for 245 with former Derbyshire spinner Callum Parkinson taking 3 for 50.

Leicestershire opener Harry Dearden was forced to retire hurt on 8 under the new protocol regarding suspected concussion after he was struck on the helmet but skipper Paul Horton made an unbeaten 48 out of 82 without loss.

Leicestershire would have been disappointed not to take more wickets on a green-tinged pitch in the first session after an uncontested toss but the bowling lacked consistency. Pakistan Test seamer Mohammad Abbas had Harvey Hosein caught behind for 19 but Ben Slater and Madsen were on the verge of batting though to lunch until Slater missed a sweep at Parkinson and was lbw for 46 to the last ball.

Parkinson then struck with the first ball after the interval, trapping Alex Hughes lbw pushing forward and then removed Billy Godleman leg before with a quicker ball in his next over to reduce Derbyshire to 93 for 4.

Leicestershire should have had a fifth wicket 11 runs later but Matt Critchley was put down at second slip on 4 and the allrounder helped Madsen put on 51 before Neil Dexter swung one away to have him caught behind for 31. Richard Jones tailed one in to have Daryn Smit lbw but Madsen and Hardus Viljoen drove Parkinson for sixes before the last four wickets fell for 13 runs.

Viljoen edged Gavin Griffiths on the stroke of tea and Ben Raine pinned Madsen and Duanne Olivier lbw before Abbas bowled Ravi Rampaul to leave Derbyshire five short of a second batting point.

That left Leicestershire with 28 overs to bat under the floodlights and both Horton and Dearden took blows on the helmet and body from Olivier which resulted in the umpires advising Dearden to leave the field after the opening pair had put on 53. Derbyshire's seam attack beat the bat numerous times in the closing overs but Horton and Colin Ackermann played well to make it a good day for Leicestershire who closed 163 behind.