Derbyshire’s Chesney Hughes completed his first LV= County Championship century in nearly two years during a wicketless first afternoon at Headingley.

Last season’s division two champions have enjoyed their best day of the new season so far under sunny skies and in a biting wind as they reached tea at 204-1 from 61 overs.

Anguilla-born Hughes, a 22-year-old left-hander, has vindicated his captain Wayne Madsen’s decision to move him up to the top of the order for the first time this season with a 160-ball ton, his first since July of 2011.

Handed a life on 70 via a tough chance to a diving Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps off Tim Bresnan’s bowling, Hughes has powered 19 fours and two sixes.

His sixes came over square-leg off Bresnan and over long-on off Adil Rashid, the latter bringing up his hundred.

Hughes will resume on 119 after tea with Madsen on a patient 70. The pair have added 194 for the second wicket.