WES Durston ended his day in hospital as Derbyshire let a promising position slip away on the first day of their LV County Championship match against Essex at Chesterfield.
Durston had to retire hurt after being hit on the side of the head by a bouncer from Graham Napier when he had scored 74. Wayne Madsen had joined him in a fourth-wicket stand of 146 to put Derbyshire in a strong position at 226-3.
After losing Durston, Derbyshire lost six wickets for 49 in 18.2 overs and, because the batsman could not return, were all out for 275. At the close, Essex were 25-1.
Derbyshire, who won the toss, were 95-3 at lunch, with both openers and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, on his return to the side following his spell in the West Indies for the Test series against New Zealand, back in the pavilion.
There was a little movement for the Essex seamers off a green-tinged surface at the start, with Tom Moore, playing only his fourth Championship game, taking two of the wickets.
The openers made it to the 14th over of the morning before Paul Borrington was unable to resist chasing a Moore ball down the leg side and gloved a catch through to wicketkeeper James Foster. He made 23.
Making his first Championship appearance of the season on his home ground, Ben Slater scored 13 before he was Moore's second victim, lbw at 57-2, and Chanderpaul followed at 80-3, lbw to a full length Reece Topley ball for 15.
Durston was the third change to the side for Derbyshire, replacing Scott Elstone, and completed his first Championship 50 for 14 months off 82 balls with eight fours and a six after Madsen had reached 50 off 110 balls with eight fours.
Durston was felled by the second ball after tea and, two balls later, Alex Hughes was caught behind for nought.
Greg Smith took an excellent one-handed catch at midwicket from a Gareth Cross (2) pull, David Wainwright (5) steered meekly to gully and then Madsen's innings ended at 90 when he was caught behind off Napier at 255-7.
Tony Palladino was caught behind off Ravi Bopara for 12 and when Foster took a fifth catch off Tom Taylor (7), Derbyshire were all out and Napier completed an outstanding spell after tea with 4-44.
Off the third delivery but the second legitimate ball of the Essex reply, Tom Westley turned Mark Footitt firmly to short leg Slater at 6-1 but Nick Browne (6) and Bopara (11) took them to the close.
