A sustained piece of fast bowling from the four fast men, excellent slip catching and a superb hundred from Alex Hales ensured that Notts had a strangle hold over Derbyshire at the end of day one of the Second Eleven Championship game at the County Ground, Derby.
 
The home side won the toss and batted first but collapsed from 98-3 to 155 all out with Paul Franks taking 4-22, Darren Pattinson 2-30, Andrew Carter 1-28 and Luke Fletcher 1-37.
 
Alex Hales took three catches at first slip, one an excellent reaction catch retrieving a dropped catch from his slip partner Kevin O'Brien who held on to two catches himself.
 
Jason Brown took 2-14, the last wicket being a stumping from young wicket keeper Alex Spence making his second team debut.
 
Only Chesney Hughes (50) and Tom Poynton (28) showed any real defiance to the moving ball and real pace of the bowlers.
 
The evening session belonged to the Notts batsmen and Alex Hales in particular. They tore into the Derbyshire bowling with Akhil Patel scoring 33 of the opening stand of 95 before being caught by keeper Poynton trying to pull Clare.
 
At this point Hales was on 60 having reached his 50 from 48 balls. His 100 came from 83 balls as he flayed the bowling to all parts of the ground. At the close, three overs early due to the notorious sinking sun, Hales had scored 144 with 21 fours and three sixes from 119 balls.
 
Bilal Shafayat was undefeated on 49 at the close having played his part with eight boundaries in a 136 partnership to leave Notts in a commanding position going into the second day.