Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day 1

Derbyshire 184 (Reece 59)

Gloucestershire 100-5 (Reece 4-15)

Derbyshire lead by 84 runs

On day one of what is theoretically a four-day game, Luis Reece pretty much changed my plans for the next few days single-handed.

I will be at Derby for the next two days, which at today's rate will likely see the denouement, one way or the other, of this game on a wicket that seems to offer plenty of help for the bowlers. Like recent tracks at Derby, the movement seems to come once the roller's effect has gone off and both sides made decent starts before the collapse.

I just hope that Derbyshire don't come to regret the disappointing generosity that gifted Gloucestershire 25 runs in extras. On a day where there were a combined 22 byes, I would guess that there was some variable bounce which made life awkward for the wicket-keepers, but I would be disappointed with that number of free runs were I Derbyshire skipper.

Harvey Hosein's dropping of Chris Dent off Lockie Ferguson could have been costly, but the dismissal of the visiting skipper before the close was a key wicket, one of four for Luis Reece  on a day that clearly showed what we have missed this summer.

As I have said before, seam bowling opening batsman are far from common and Reece took full advantage of the conditions by getting his swing going. With support at the other end from Tony Palladino, who took his fiftieth wicket of a fine summer, Derbyshire survived a collapse of their own after lunch to end the day slightly ahead.

Reece, together with a fifty stand between Alex Hughes and Matt Critchley , gave Derbyshire the upper hand and I would doubt the visitors would want to chase more than 200 in the final innings of the summer. A lead tomorrow would be handy and I hope to be down in time to see the end of the Gloucestershire innings, even allowing for that 10.30am start.

Here's hoping we can force home the slender advantage tomorrow, then end the summer on a high.

In closing, warm congratulations to Wayne Madsen, who passed the thousand run mark for the county for the fifth time in six summers.

What a modern day colossus he has been for us. I have no idea what we would be like without his considerable ability.

Let's hope it is some years before we find out.