Derbyshire v Northamptonshire day 1

Derbyshire 260 (Wilson 66, Hosein 58, Wheeldon 33 not)

Northamptonshire 74-3 (Palladino 2-12)

Derbyshire lead by 186 runs

There's always a good game of cricket at Chesterfield, when the weather allows it.

Usually the scores are between 250 and 350 and that shows an even battle between bat and ball. You can get wickets if you put your back into it; you can get runs if your technique is sufficiently robust and everything in your game is in fine order.

Thus the opening day of our game against Northamptonshire followed time honoured fashion . There were early alarms when we batted, having won the toss, presumably in the hope of posting 350-400 and bringing the spinners into play later in the game. They may yet do so, but it was mainly the seamers who enjoyed the conditions today.

It was good to see the Slater/Godleman axis restored up top, even if it lasted only two balls this time, and when we slid to 53-4 with our main batsmen back in the pavilion, the portents were not good for a challenging first innings score.

Yet Harvey Hosein, in his first knock of note in the first team this season, showed technique and mental strength to take the score past the hundred mark at lunch, in company with Matt Critchley. The latter left straight after lunch, but Gary Wilson came in to play a key innings at number seven, eventually making top score of 66. It was a plucky and important knock by the vice-captain.

Hosein left to a fine catch for an equally important 58 and there were key late runs from debutant Dan Wheeldon, who made an unbeaten 33 to take the final score to 260, considerably more than looked likely at one stage.

The Sandiacre all-rounder  played a more circumspect innings than he is usually known for and also opened the bowling, having taken the place of Ravi Rampaul, who I understand had turned an ankle. The visitors got off to a rollicking start, before the introduction of Tony Palladino, as it so often does, slowed the scoring.

It was he who made the breakthrough, getting the dangerous Ben Duckett caught behind and then bowling the South African wicket-keeper Vasconcelos. When Hardus Viljoen pinned Procter in front for 30, the scales had just about evened up over the day's play.

It leaves the game intriguingly poised. Northamptonshire bat long and it is fair to say that the Derbyshire attack is some way removed from the most experienced they could put out. By the same token, Viljoen could have one of those spells tomorrow (or one of THOSE spells tomorrow), while Palladino could find early morning help  and tip things the Derbyshire way.

It sets the game up nicely and, with fine weather forecast, there should be a result in this game.

Which way it goes - your guess is as good as mine.