Derbyshire v Gloucestershire day one

Gloucestershire 222 (van Buuren 67, Bracey 48, Reece 6-52, Dal 4-43)

Derbyshire 127-2 (Jewell 61, Came 29*)

Derbyshire trail by 95 runs

Hail the all rounders!

Derbyshire bowled out Gloucestershire for 222 at the County Ground today, a score that would have had the visitors' old middle order bat and later first class umpire, David Shepherd, hopping around on one leg. 

Missing three seamers who would have been in contention to play here (Tickner, Moore, Aitchison) the side bowled well as a unit but the ten wickets were shared by Luis Reece with six, the other four going to Anuj Dal 

It was superb bowling. Reece neatly topped and tailed the innings, with Dal ripping out the middle order. The greatest praise I could give Nuj is that it was like watching prime time Tony Palladino from the City End, few loose balls and testing the techniques of the opposition batters to the full

Meanwhile Reece, shorn of the responsibility of opening the batting, took the new ball and got movement both ways. He was running in more freely and bowling more quickly than I have seen for the past couple of seasons and it was great to see.

Others bowled well, yet without luck. Brown was lively, Andersson probing and although Chappell was a little out of sorts it didn't really matter.  The bowlers were backed up well in the field, especially in the slips. Jewell held two good catches, as did Madsen and we look a little more secure there at this early stage. 

I thought Wayne Madsen handled his bowlers well, after doing what all the best skippers do and winning the toss. It is clear the players are all behind him and that there is a good spirit in the camp. Long may that continue! 

The pitch is a good one. Good players can score runs, but there is something there for the seamers. That's my kind of pitch. I think Blair Tickner, wherever he is, will enjoy such pitches if they are to be the new standard.

For the visitors, Charlesworth set off with some sumptuous drives before becoming a little bogged down and getting out. Bracey and van Buuren mounted a steady rescue act, as they so often do, before Bracey was deceived by a full ball from Dal that dipped late. van Buuren threatened a big score, but top edged the first ball after tea into the safe hands of Chappell at long leg.

Derbyshire set off at a merry rate, reaching fifty in the eighth over before Lloyd was bowled by a fine ball from Price. Both he and Jewell had dished out punishment to Singh Dale and Taylor and the Australian progressed to a beautiful half century, full of fine strokes through the covers. 

His end was disappointing, as the whole-hearted de Lange, steaming in from the Racecourse End, had him hurrying against a bouncer which was sure to be repeated. Jewell took him on again and holed out to long leg, an unnecessary dismissal more in keeping with twenty-over than four day cricket. He will learn from it, I am sure, but the assertive start was reminiscent of Martin Guptill's assault on Northamptonshire in 2012, which turned out quite nicely. He will doubtless entertain this summer and his timing was quite exquisite today.

Throughout, the bowling seemed trickier from the City End and Price bowled a steady spell for the visitors before the close. But Came looked very good again, playing three sumptuous on side drives that Peter May would have been proud of. Meanwhile Madsen was circumspect, probably aware that a big innings from him could put his side into a very strong position. 

It could all go pear-shaped of course, but I liked the look of this Derbyshire side today.

Had Mickey Arthur asked Quentin Tarantino to script the opening day, it could scarce have gone better.

They have now set a standard for the summer and they must endeavour to meet it on a regular basis. 

That was an impressive day's work.