AN aggressive 95 for Wes Durston plus half-centuries from Ben Slater, Billy Godleman and Harvey Hosein made it a good day for Derbyshire to start their three-day match against the Indians at the 3aaa County Ground.
After winning the toss, Derbyshire made 326-5 against an attack of international quality, with Godleman 67 not out and Hosein, making his senior debut at the age of 17, 53 not out.
The Indians, as they did in their last warm-up match at Leicester, deprived the game of first-class status by using all 18 members of their squad in the match and they took a first wicket in the sixth over as Borrington pushed at a ball from Pankaj Singh and was caught at second slip by Ajinkya Rahane for nought at 9-1.
Slater and Chesney Hughes put on 70 before Hughes, named as captain because Wayne Madsen was missing the match with a back problem, was bowled by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja in the final over before lunch.
He made 23 and that left Derbyshire 79-2.
Slater, with an opening berth in the Championship side to be won following the retirement of Stephen Moore, moved to his 50 with a cover-driven four off Ishant Sharma but, in the following over, was caught behind off Jadeja for 54.
Alex Hughes was bowled by Ishwar Pandey for one at 115-4 but Durston was quickly into his stride and brought up his 50 off 56 balls with seven fours and a six.
But five runs short of a century, Durston got a leading edge to a ball from Stuart Binny and gave an easy return catch. His 95 came off 90 balls with 14 fours and two sixes.
The score was then 239-5 but Godleman and 17-year-old Hosein added an unbroken 87 for the sixth wicket. Godleman reached his 50 off 120 balls with six fours and was content to build his innings steadily as Hosein drove sweetly for eight fours in his 88-ball half-century.
