Kent v Derbyshire – Day one match report

Australia batsman Usman Khawaja, made his final appearance for Derbyshire, compiling 135. Centuries from Wayne Madsen and Usman Khawaja meant that Derbyshire dominated the first day of this LV= County Championship match.

After winning the toss in ideal conditions, Derbyshire piled on the runs to reach stumps on 370 for three as Kent struggled for wickets.

An opening stand of 96 between Madsen and Chesney Hughes laid the foundations for Derbyshire's impressive first-day total. Hughes took the morning lead in posting seven fours in a cameo 76-ball half-century full of firm front-foot drives.

He looked destined for three figures until he took one chance too many against James Tredwell. In aiming to lap-sweep the England off-spinner’s fourth ball, Hughes, on 57, top-edged and Martin van Jaarsveld ran around from slip toward gully to claim the catch.

Derbyshire went in at lunch sitting on 103 for one and Kent, without threefirst-choice bowlers through injury, had little else to offer as Derbyshire added 231 for the second wicket.

Madsen strolled to a 187-ball hundred – his ninth in 31 games for Derbyshire – while Australia Test batsman Khawaja hit his first century for the county, off 141 deliveries and containing 13 fours.

It is expected to be his final game for the county after being selected for Australia A's tour of Zimbabwe next month.

The stand ended when Madsen, off balance and seemingly tired, played a carefree shot across the line to go lbw to Azhar Mahmood.

Khawaja finally perished for 135, made from 208 balls. Having hit 16 fours, the left-hander edged a drive at left-armer Shaw to slip, where van Jaarsveld dived to his left to take a sublime catch. It was Shaw's maiden championship wicket, in this, his debut LV = County Championship match.

It proved to be Kent's last success of day one, as Dan Redfern and nightwatchman Tony Palladino survived until stumps to take the visitors into day two in command.

Photo by Sarah Ansell from SarahCanterbury.com