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Luke Hollman and Ethan Bamber rescued Division Two leaders Middlesex on the opening day of the County Championship match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

Hollman made 48 and Bamber a career-best unbeaten 37 to take Middlesex to 251 after they slipped to 171-7.

Fast bowler Toby Pettman took 3-40 on his Championship debut and Anuj Dal returned the outstanding figures of 2-13 from 15 overs, 11 of them maidens.

In reply, Derbyshire moved to 28 without loss at stumps, 223 behind with Shan Masood unbeaten on 27.

Middlesex would have hoped for greater prosperity when they approached lunch with Mark Stoneman and Stephen Eskinazi seemingly well set on a pitch that offered some bounce and occasional turn.

Derbyshire brought in Pettman, on loan from neighbours Nottinghamshire, and he saw both openers dropped in his fourth over of a breezy morning.

Sam Robson was put down at second slip by Wayne Madsen and then Stoneman survived a sharp chance to third slip off the next ball.

Robson did not profit, trapped on the crease by a ball from Luis Reece that came back to give the all-rounder his 100th first-class wicket for Derbyshire, but Stoneman's miss threatened to be costly.

He twice drove Sam Conners for four in the next over and with Eskinazi, had established a solid platform before it collapsed in the space of four overs.

Dal and Mark Watt bowled with control to dry up the runs and both were rewarded with Stoneman edging low to second slip where Madsen this time made no mistake.

Watt celebrated his first wicket in first-class cricket in more than four years when Eskinazi got an inside edge on to his stumps as he stretched forward in defence.

Derbyshire struck again after lunch when Max Holden was well caught behind down the legside as he tried to glance a wide ball to give Pettman his maiden Championship wicket.

He was pulled into the trees over midwicket by John Simpson who was looking dangerous until Madsen pulled off a stunning slip catch.

Alex Thomson gave the ball some air and Simpson edged a drive that looked to have gone over Madsen until he leapt to grab the ball with his left hand to claim his 200th first-class catch for Derbyshire.

Rob White played with good judgement, facing 83 balls for his 26, and it took a fine ball from Dal to remove him, extra bounce finding the outside edge to give Brooke Guest a second victim.

When Toby Roland-Jones played across the line at Reece, Middlesex were still 25 short of a batting point but Hollman and Bamber took the visitors beyond 200.

Hollman was two away from a half-century when he pushed at a flighted delivery from Watt to give Madsen another catch and Thilan Walallawita was caught behind swinging wildly at Pettman.

Bamber pulled Pettman for four to secure a second batting point before Tim Murtagh sliced to third man where Madsen pouched his fourth catch.

That left Derbyshire with a potentially awkward eight overs to negotiate but the in-form Masood reeled off several classy strokes to round off a decent day for the home side.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.