Leicestershire v Derbyshire day 2

Leicestershire 213

Derbyshire 437-4 (Masood 219, Madsen 94, McKiernan 63*, Du Plooy 16*)

Derbyshire lead by 224 runs

I think the English language  lacks sufficient superlatives for Shan Masood.

Suffice to say, as someone tweeted earlier, that in making 91, 62, 239 and 219 in his first four innings for the county, he has broken record after record.

The first Derbyshire player to make back to back double centuries, he has made more runs in four innings than all but two of our players made in all of last season. He is only the second Pakistan player to make successive double centuries in first-class cricket and is the first Pakistan opener to make a double century in County cricket. Now he has done that twice.. 

You get the picture. He is wonderful to watch, with an uncomplicated technique, exquisite timing and unfailing placement. His running between the wickets is exemplary and he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the great overseas players in the county's history.

He and Wayne Madsen became the second pairing, after the legendary John Wright and Peter Kirsten, to share back to back double century partnerships. This is the Madsen of old and watching cricket gets no better than watching those two this afternoon. It was vibrant, majestic, wonderful cricket, after Brooke Guest was the only wicket to fall to a bowler all day. 

Madsen looked set for a century when he tested his running against the fielders arm and was well run out by the direct hit of Ed Barnes for a fine 94. It was an unnecessary risk when he was in total control, but it shouldn't mask an innings of the highest quality. 

Mattie McKiernan came in next, keeping the left/right pairing going and he batted delightfully for the rest of the day, registering a career-best score. He should have been caught, but the swirling wind made the catch far from straightforward. There were some powerful strokes as he fully justified his elevation in the order, as well as the confidence of Mickey Arthur in his abilities. 

Du Plooy kept him company for the rest of the day, looking a little sketchy  but surviving to the close.

Derbyshire scored 401 runs in an exhilarating day of batting. One would expect them to hit it around tomorrow in the first hour or so and take an existing lead of 224 over 300 before bowling again. With the odd ball keeping low and a little bit of turn, one would hope that we don't see a repeat of the last game, but it would surprise me. 

Fantastic cricket from Derbyshire. No one will argue with that. 

Nor the magnificence of Madsen and Masood.