Derbyshire v Sussex day 2

Derbyshire 505-8 declared (Masood 239, Madsen 111, Thomson 52, Dal 38* Crocombe 3-131)

Sussex 174 (Haines 41, Potts 3-43 Conners 3-47, Dal 2-28, Du Plooy 1-0, Thomson 1-18)

Derbyshire lead by 331 runs

126 years later, George Davidson still sits atop the pile of highest innings played for Derbyshire, but no one who saw it will forget the 239 of Shan Masood over the past two days.

It was 211 runs more than Rizwan and Pujara managed between them for our visitors, as Derbyshire made steady inroads into the Sussex batting in the evening sunshine. 

Shan-tastic and Wayne took their partnership to 292 before the hard-working Haines bowled the latter. It was a lovely, crafted knock by the county legend, proving he still has what it takes to play the long innings in this format. 

Neither du Plooy nor Reece lasted long, but when Masood finally perished on the reverse sweep, the end appeared close. He rightly received a standing ovation from the crowd, appreciative of a player of the very highest class. 

But Anuj Dal and Alex Thomson have both started the season in excellent form, which they carried on here, adding 76 in eleven overs. Dal followed his 52 and unbeaten 24 at Lord's with another unbeaten 38, while Thomson followed 48 with an excellent, hard-hitting 52.

It enabled a declaration on a meaty 505-8, Nick Potts bringing up the 500 with the first six of the innings, but a hard graft appeared in store on a good pitch.

Sussex started well, with Haines looking in confident form, but after going for three boundaries Potts straightened one and pinned him leg before with the score on 62.

Thereafter wickets fell steadily. Lakmal bowled admirably but with little luck, while Godleman rang the bowling changes well. Conners looked much better from the Racecourse End and took three wickets, while Dal bowled admirably from the City End, keeping it tight and nipping it around. 

It was he who removed the dangerous Pujara, caught behind by Guest. He also had Rizwan dropped at slip by Thomson, a difficult chance, before Conners minimised the damage by having the Pakistan star also caught behind. 

The advent of Thomson brought a first over wicket - a sharp slip catch by Madsen - and Derbyshire were  very much in the ascendancy. 

In the final hour of the day, Potts took two more wickets and on this debut showing looks a real talent. He will be very pleased with 3-37, after an understandably nervous first over. 

All that was left was for du Plooy to bowl the last over and claim the final wicket, the perfect end to a pretty darn perfect day. Surely the follow on will be enforced tomorrow, with a lead of 331?

In closing, I thought Brooke Guest kept wicket very well today, taking four catches and stopping some occasional erratic stuff along the way. I enjoy his bubbly demeanour behind the stumps and he sets the tone well in the field. 

From a Derbyshire perspective this could hardly have gone any better. 

I'm liking this Mickey Arthur era, aren't you?