County update: Derbyshire v Surrey Day One

Wonderful, professional, remarkable and – to be honest – in a league of their own.

But enough about Rush and their three-and-a-quarter hour show at the SECC tonight. This is an occasion to celebrate a terrific effort by Wayne Madsen and Shivnarine Chanderpaul that has put Derbyshire firmly in the box seat against Surrey on day one.

When two wickets went down early after Wayne Madsen won the toss again, supporters can be excused for fearing the worst. But our West Indian star and the skipper batted with sensible aggression, never allowing the bowlers to get on top and scoring at four runs an over.

At 232-2 we are in fantasy territory with both batsmen there to fight another day. Shiv completed a superb century from only 115 balls, while it would be just if the skipper were to do the same tomorrow morning.

There’s still much to do and we will want 400-plus, but by any standards that was a wonderful start and a great effort by both.

Still, tonight I close with a toast to Wayne Madsen and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

And Rush, of course…