Alex Hales was in blistering form once again on the second day of Nottinghamshire’s Specsavers County Championship match against Derbyshire at Trent Bridge.

The England international, who scored 95 in the T20 Blast on Sunday, scored 218 runs as Notts plundered a total of 508 for nine before declaring.

Hales scored his runs at an even tempo, having faced 218 balls, 36 of which went for four and one sailed over the ropes for six. The tall right-hander shared in a punishing sixth wicket partnership of 214 in 35 overs with Chris Read, who made 75.

Earlier, Steven Mullaney had been dismissed for 50. The Nottinghamshire total was also boosted by the addition of 50 extras.

In the closing passage of play Derbyshire reached 45 for the loss of Luis Reece, with Mark Footitt grabbing the one wicket to fall.

Notts resumed on 93 for two at the start of the day, with Mullaney and Samit Patel together at the crease. Both were untroubled in the early stages but then Patel was unluckily run out, backing up.

Mullaney, on 41, drove straight back towards Tony Palladino at the start of the fourth over of the morning and the fingertips of the bowler deflected the ball onto the stumps, with the batsman out of his ground.

The fall of the third wicket, with 103 on the board, brought Hales to the crease and the 28-year old was quickly into his stride, lashing four early boundaries before his partner brought up his fourth half century of the summer.

Mullaney had got there from 102 deliveries, with eight fours but sadly, for the opener, he was unable to add to his 50 as he then hit Tom Taylor forcefully into the hands of Ben Slater at point.

Notts at that stage were 151 for four but their fifth wicket pairing dominated the final hour of the morning, with Hales taking the session away from Derbyshire.

His own fifty arrived from just 54 balls, with the boundary boards having been clattered on 16 occasions. Riki Wessels, equally ruthless on any width, helped take the visitors to 214 for four at lunch.

Viljoen picked up his second wicket of the innings, in the early part of the afternoon, as Wessels nicked a sharply-lifting delivery behind for 13.

Hales’ hundred arrived with his 20th boundary, coming from only 114 deliveries. With Read as his partner, pressure was intensified on the home attack as 68 runs came in the next 10 overs as the third batting point was brought up.

Read’s own half century, his third of the summer, arrived from 62 balls, eight of them boundaries but the focus switched to Hales, who brought up his 200 with three consecutive fours off Taylor, to raise the milestone from 201 balls, with 36 fours and a six.

The sixth wicket stand was eventually broken when Read feathered Taylor down the legside, to ‘keeper Wilson.

In the quest for quick runs Brett Hutton perished for 11 and Jake Ball was last out, swinging the bat to good effect, with four sixes in his 43. Luke Wood remained unbeaten on 12 as the captain called them in.

Derbyshire had to contend with 12 overs at the end of the day as they began their second innings 288 behind.

In the fourth over Reece edged Footitt and captain Read gobbled up the chance, taking his career number of wicketkeeping dismissals to 967 – equalling Thomas Oates’ long-standing county record.

Day three will begin with the home side still 243 runs behind and facing an uphill battle to keep out the unbeaten league leaders.