A second century in as many games for Temba Bavuma proved the centrepiece of Northamptonshire posted 342 on a turning Day 1 Chesterfield wicket.
With two changes in his side, Cobb and Zaib coming in for Levi and Buck, captain Adam Rossington chose to contest the toss, won it, and elected to bat. Vasconcelos and Newton made a watchful start, Derbyshire finding assistance in the pitch and conditions. The pair added 28 before Newton became the first man to go, Rampaul finding extra bounce to take the edge to second slip. Procter moved up the order but fell for just 1, Hudson-Prentice this time finding something extra in the wicket to take the edge. When Vasconcelos departed shortly after for a fluent 30, Northamptonshire found themselves in trouble at 45 for 3. Keogh and Bavuma steadied things however, the pair watchful heading into lunch, just 4 runs coming in the last eight overs before lunch.
After lunch the pair found more momentum as the partnership passed 50 and the total 100. Temba Bavuma brought up his half century in 82 balls but lost Keogh at the other end, caught brilliantly by du Plooy at slip for 28. This brought Rossington to the middle and saw the run rate rise notably. The pair regularly found and cleared the boundary as they took the attack to Derbyshire’s spinners. Rossington found the boundary 7 times in his better than a run a ball 38 before Critchley held on to a sharp return chance. Bavuma went to his second century in as many matches as he raised his century in 135 deliveries. He found a second aggressive batting partner in new white-ball captain Josh Cobb. The 6th wicket partnership came up in 60 deliveries as Northamptonshire passed 250, Cobb launching two giant sixes on his way to 30.
Cobb tried one big shot too many in the first over after tea, caught on the long on boundary. Saif Zaib, playing his second game for the year, looked in good touch. Bavuma departed for 134 when Critchley slid one on to trap him lbw. A pair of eyecatching drives and a dead straight six from Zaib proved the highlights of his innings before extra turn from Qadri beat the outside edge to hit off stump for 31. Matt Coles set Chesterfield alight with his innings, his 9 ball cameo saw 26 added as he launched 2 sixes and sent three others flying to the rope. His sweet striking continued to his dismissal, connecting well with his reverse sweep but picking out backward point. Hutton fell just three balls later, Northamptonshire all out for 342.
A tricky 12 overs left at the end of the day paid dividends for Northamptonshire as Hutton struck in his first over, Reece losing his off stump to go for 5. That was the only loss for Derbyshire though as Godleman and Madsen safely negotiated to the end of play with the score at 34 for 1.
Northamptonshire 342 (Bavuma 134, Rossington 38)
Derbyshire 34/1 (Hutton 1/10)