APRIL at the County Ground never was much of a time for batsmen. It usually meant four sweaters to defend against the biting wind whistling down the Racecourse, a swinging ball and early damage to the average.

Short-sleeved shirts were the order yesterday but it was in many other ways classic early-season fare at Derby.

The first day of Derbyshire's LV County Championship match against Surrey brought 17 wickets for 283 runs. It may be worth making alternative arrangements for Saturday.

The batting was not of the highest order, the bowling was generally good – but it also has to be pointed out that the pitch was blameless.

It had a little more pace than we have been used to seeing at the County Ground and there was good bounce throughout the day.

There was also just enough movement to make batting a hazardous business. With barely a cloud in the sky, overhead conditions were not a factor, so perhaps this was another glimpse of what we should expect from the new Tiflex ball.

None of that will matter to Graham Wagg and Greg Smith as they look back on career-best bowling performances for their part in Surrey's dismissal for 131 after they had won the toss.

Wagg claimed the first four wickets of the day on his way to 6-35, improving on the 6-38 he took at Taunton in 2006. Smith helped tidy up the tail to finish with 3-18 to further underline his blossoming usefulness as an all-rounder.

Unquestionably, Wagg was Derbyshire's star performer of the day, especially as it hadn't been expected that he would play at the beginning of the week because of the hip flexor injury he picked up in the opening game at Essex.

Wagg was not able to bowl a ball at Chelmsford but made up for the frustration of having to watch friendly bowling conditions from the pavilion with some style.

The sixth five-wicket haul of his career was in the bag by lunch – three caught at slip, one bowled and one lbw. His figures of 5-24 would have been even more impressive if not for 10 runs given away in no-balls.

Surrey, certainly missing the stability of Mark Ramprakash and Mark Butcher at the top of the order, could not handle him. His new-ball partner, Ian Hunter, did not take a wicket this time to follow his seven in the match against Essex but he also bowled well again, though he was more inclined to lose his discipline this time.

The green shoots of Surrey recovery were squashed when Chris Schofield took a painful blow from Jon Clare and retired hurt after he and Jon Batty had put on 41 to take their side to 99-6.

Andre Nel, dropped third ball, helped stretch the stand to 66 before the first ball of Wagg's third spell removed Batty lbw for 36 and the last three wickets soon followed.

Derbyshire knew they were in for an examination themselves and were quickly 21-3, with Garry Park, Stuart Law and Steve Stubbings back in the pavilion.

Dan Redfern and Wavell Hinds steadied the boat until Hinds was lbw to a ball that seemed to hit him a touch high.

Another West Indian, Pedro Collins, then made his mark with a burst of 3-8 in 12 balls to remove Redfern, Jamie Pipe and Clare at 88-7 and, at that stage, a Derbyshire first innings lead was by no means assured.

Smith and Wagg, the heroes with the ball, saw to it they reached 152-7 at the close, ahead by 21. Wagg was dropped twice by wicketkeeper Batty but an important stand was 64 overnight and much needed.