BEN Slater celebrated his maiden first-class hundred and Cheteshwar Pujara was victim to a rare dismissal to start Derbyshire's final LV County Championship match of the season against Leicestershire at the 3aaa County Ground.
After losing the toss and being put in, Derbyshire made 289, with Slater, awarded a new two-year contract this week, scoring 104 of them.
Left eight overs to face before the close, Leicestershire were 25-2, with Mark Footitt taking his 100th first-team wicket for Derbyshire this season.
Pujara was the third man out, having been given out handled the ball. It was only the 59th time in the history of first-class cricket that such a dismissal has happened and was the first time it has happened in England since Karl Krikken was given out in a match against the Indians at Derby in 1996.
Derbyshire lost their first wicket in the 10th over when Billy Godleman was caught at third slip off Ben Raine for 19 at 30-1.
Wayne Madsen followed three overs later, lbw to Charlie Shreck for eight at 43-2, but then came the Pujara incident as a ball from Atif Sheikh looked destined to bounce down on to the stumps until the Indian swatted it away.
After consultation between the umpires, Pujara had to go for six at 62-3.
Slater was in fine form, carrying on from his efforts at The Oval, and he profited from loose Leicestershire standards to reach his fourth Championship half-century of the season off 86 balls with seven fours.
Wes Durston joined him for a stand of 124 for the fourth wicket and Derbyshire were cruising at that point but when Durston was out for 52, sending a sweep at spinner James Sykes to deep backward square at 186-4, wickets fell to quickly.
Alex Hughes was lbw to Sheikh for nought, Harvey Hosein caught behind off Raine for 13 and Wayne White caught behind for nought at 228-7.
But Slater kept his nerve while all around him lost theirs and cover drove his 15th four to take him to three figures for the first time, off 195 balls. He was finally eighth man out at 246 shortly after tea.
Tony Palladino (24) and Ben Cotton (21) came close to leading Derbyshire to a third batting point but, following a break for bad light, they were out in successive overs.
That left eight overs for Leicestershire to survive and they lost Greg Smith in the third over, caught at second slip off Footitt for 10, before night watchman Sykes was lbw to Palladino in the final over at 25-2, with Angus Robson seven not out.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
